Biomedical Research Meets Toxicology: How <i>In Vitro</i> Chromosome Instability Methods Can Contribute to Carcinogenicity Prediction.

Abstract

Cancer is a major health concern and a leading cause of mortality. The reliable identification of carcinogens and understanding of carcinogenicity has become a main focus of biomedical research and regulatory toxicology. While biomedical research applies cellular <i>in vitro</i> methods to uncover the underlying mechanisms causing cancer, regulatory toxicology relies on animal testing to predict carcinogenicity of chemicals, often with limited human relevance. Exemplified by chromosome instability-mediated carcinogenicity, we discuss the need to combine the strengths of both fields to develop highly predictive and mechanism-derived <i>in vitro</i> methods that facilitate risk assessment in respect to relevant human diseases.