The Chemical Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis - A Hypothesis,
Abstract:
A hypothesis is presented that describes a single chemical synergistic mechanism for the production of all cancers. This mechanism depends upon the esterification within a cell of 1 an aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase carboxylate metabolite of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and 2 a hydroxyl compound. Both of these compounds are always present within a cell sometimes at relatively high concentrations. The specific compounds and their concentrations will determine the probability of the formation of the ultimate carcinogen that can be physically and chemically incorporated into the DNA molecule during its formation. This report presents the evidence to show that only predictable specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons react with all the other suspected carcinogens to form an ultimate carcinogen.