Klin Onkol 2000; 13(Speciál 2000): 17-20.
Summary: While diet and smoking in total make about 65% contribution to the cancer death, environmental factors make only less than 10%. False opinion that the synthetic chemical substances manufactured for the wide use in the industry and agriculture are important aethiological factors in carcinogenesis are based on experimental testing. Maximum tolerated doses (MTD) applied in experiments exceed many times those present in the environment. It is possible that under these conditions substances cause cellular proliferation in the tissue of tested animals. Such experimental condition however, support carcinogenic process also for the chemicals common in natural food. It is necessary to study in detail mechanisms of chemically induced carcinogenesis and alter -if necessary- present model of experimental results extrapolation to the real conditions of human exposure. Secure limits determinated in haste may exceedingly burden national budgets and cause stress from chemiphobia.
