Tobacco Documents Online

Q Memorial Sloan-Kettering News 1275 York Avenue New York, N. Y, 10021 For additional Information: Gerald Delaney 212 794-7171 Patricia Molino 794-8085 Shelley Lotter 794-8z61 Contact Press Room from 9/13 - 9/18: 633-1234 Broadway Room, Grand Hyatt Hotel, N.Y.C. INDUSTRIAL AND LIFE-STYLE CARCINOGENS TO BE DISCUSSED AT INTERNATIONAL CANCER MEETING I NEW YORK, Sept. B- At the present time, we simply do not know enough about the actions and effects of carcinogens to resolve questions about what is and is not cancer-causing 3n man, says Dr. Michael Shimkin, Professor of Community Medicine and Oncology at the University of California. Dr. Shimkin will be speaking a t the International Symposium on Cancer, which is being held in the Grand Hyatt Hotel here September 14 to 18. His talk is part of the Symposium Panel on Industrial and Life-Style Carcinogens, which takes place Sunday, September 14 from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. in the Empire State Ballroom D. Individual tests for chemical carcinogenicity which use bacteria, animals, and human cells provide Information on different types of, cancer- related activity, and sometimes produce conflicting or inconsistent results. Dr. Shimkin will discuss what these tests mean, and whether conclusions from them can easily be generalized to man. Dr. Shimkin believes that we cannot always make adequate generalizations aboet the carcinogenicity of chemical substances, radiation and life-style factors such as diet, reproductive and sexual habits, smoking and alcohol con5umption. Physical and bidlogical conditions, he saySi may Influence the action of carcinogens. These conditions include the type and length of exposure, doses, and the specific way a substance affects the body. Dr. Shimkin will also describe some practical, commah-sense health measures which he believes are of value when one cannot prevent exposure to substances that may be carcinogenic. Several other experts in the field will join Dr. Shimkin on the carcinogens panel. - more - I 1 Z,N 5215 MEMON1A; SLOAN-KEYTEp1NG CANCEQ CENTEp TREATMENT UNIT, A!EMOiMAL MoSPITAL FOR CANCER ANDALLIEDDIFEASES 12)5 YOWK AVENUE NE W vORK N v 10021 RESEARCr+UNtT SLOAN•KETTERING 1NSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

-2- iNDUSTRIAL AND LIFE-STYLE CARCINOGENS Dr. Jeffrey Theiss, Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences 'at the University of Texas Health Science Center, will describe the methods available for the detection of chemical carcinogens, what they actually measure, And how they are related to each other. Dr. Theiss believes that we can get the best estimates of chemical cereinogenicity from a screening system that integrates Information that comes from laboratory studies with epidemiologic data About the effects of a substance on population groups that have been exposed to it. Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, Director, Environmental Sciences Laboratory at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, will draw on his past experience studying occupational exposures suth as asbestos in shipyard workers and life-style factors like smoking, tb discuss types of exposure, incubation periods and potential interactions between environmental agents and life-style factors. Dr. Anthony Miller, Director, Epidemiology Unit at the University of Toronto, National''institute of Canad,a, will further explore the influence of life-style factors. He will review evidence which links diet to cancer of the stomach, breast, and large bowel. He will also examine the relationship of { certain sexual and reproductive habits to cancer of the breast, uterus, ovariesT and cervix. Dr. Elizabeth Miller, Associate Director, McArdle Laboratory and Professor of Oncology at the University of Wisconsin Center for Health Sciences, who studies the activation of carcinogens by enzymes in the body, will talk about her studies in animals. Her work has yielded important information about the mechanism of metabolic activation in specific organs and tissues of the host. Her studies have also shown that tumors induced by a chemical compound tan vary according to the specues and age of the host, and the way the compounds have been administered. - mo re - 52ZC

- 3 . INDUST'RIAL AND LIFE-STYLE CARCINOGENS Dr. Donald F. Austin, Chief, Resource for Cancer Epidemiology Section, Califprnie State Department of Health Services, will present an organized approach to the detection and prevention of elevated cancer risks among workers. Dr. Austin believes that by comparing data on employee health generated by Industrial monitoring with data on cancer incidence in the general population, It is possible to identify workers at higher risk for cancer. He believes the approach can be used to lower risks and f urther the development of better employee health standards. ' Finally, Dr. David Rall, Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Director, National Toxicology Program, will speak about public policy issues related to Industrial and 1'ife°style carcinogens. # # # 9880 , ® zIN 520