Methodologies for Interpretation of Short-Term Test Results which may Allow Reduction in the use of Animals in Carcinogenicity Testing

Abstract

Assessment of the risk to humans posed by chemical substances currently relies primarily on experimental exposure of animals in lifetime feeding studies. Short-term tests for genotoxicity are much less costly and use fewer or no animals, but have not replaced the long-term animal bioassay because their results do not coincide completely. We have developed methodologies for interpretation of short-term tests which improve the usefulness of their results, and may allow them to replace the long-term animal bioassay in some circumstances.