A retrospective look at the carcinogenic potency of vinyl chloride

ABSTRACT

Failure to find any cases of vinyl chloride-induced cancer aoutside the heavily exposed reactor cleaner group calls into question the human relevance of predictive methods for carcinogenic potency. Potency estimates by six conventional routes are reviewed with special attention to the implication of each route for vinyl choride. New metabolic and mechanistic data are used to suggest a basis for the failure of "classical" risk assessment methods to provide accurate predictions for humans in this instance.(AU)