Application of mutagen sensitivity assay in a glioma case-control study.

Few risk factors for glioma have been identified other than ionizing radiation. The alkylating agent acrylamide is a compound found in both occupational and the general environment and identified as one of the forty known or suspected neurocarcinogens in animal models. The mutagen sensitivity assay (MSA) has been used to indirectly show reduced DNA repair capacity upon exposure to ionizing radiation in those with glioma compared to controls.

Human exposure to selected animal neurocarcinogens: a biomarker-based assessment and implications for brain tumor epidemiology.

This review is based on the proceedings from the Second Lebow Conference, held in Chicago in 2007. The conference concentrated on developing a framework for innovative studies in the epidemiology of environmental exposures, focusing specifically on the potential relationship with brain tumors. Researchers with different perspectives, including toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and epidemiological exposure assessment, exchanged information and ideas on the use of biomarkers of exposure in molecular epidemiology studies and summarized the current knowledge on methods and approaches for biomarker-based exposure assessment.