Ovarian Carcinogens Identified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)
The Ribbon

Suzanne Snedeker, Ph. D., Director of Translational Research

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer share many similarities. The incidence of both cancers increases as women age, and a relatively small percentage of ovarian and breast cancer cases are explained by inherited genes such as the BRCA genes. As with breast cancer, there is an increased interest in identifying preventable causes of ovarian cancer. Because ovarian cancer has so few symptoms, it has been relatively difficult to study, and very few epidemiological studies have been able to address whether environmental factors play a role in ovarian cancer. Most of our data identifying chemicals that may increase the risk of ovarian cancer has come from animal modeling studies. And, many of the chemicals identified as inducing ovarian tumors have also been found to induce mammary tumors in the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) cancer bioassay studies. The table below lists the ten substances (environmental chemicals as wells as pharmaceutical drugs) that the NTP has identified as having "clear evidence" of causing ovarian tumors in female mice. Five of the ten substances also induce mammary tumors in one or more species of laboratory animals. This illustrates the importance of using a variety of approaches and models to understand both the biology of cancer (for example, see accompanying article Using the Domestic Hen as a Model for Studying Ovarian Cancer) as well as other models to identify preventable cancer hazards. It also illustrates that cancers hold some factors affecting etiology in common.

References:

Dennis, M.J, Howarth, N., Key, P.E., Pointer, M., Massey, R.C. (1989). Investigation of ethyl carbamate levels in some fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. Food Additives and Contaminants 6(3):383-389.

DHHS (2004). Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh edition, Carcinogen Profiles, 2004, (Research Triangle Park, NC, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service and National Toxicology Program).

Dunnick, J.K and Hailey, J.R. (1996). Phenolphthalein exposure causes multiple carcinogenic effects in experimental model systems. Cancer Research 56, 4922-4926.

FDA (2006). Drugs@FDA; approved prescription, over-the-counter and discontinued drugs (Food and Drug Administration) searchable database accessible at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/, cited April 13, 2006.

FDA (2006). Database of Approved Animal Drug Products (Food and Drug Administration [FDA] Center for Veterinary Medicine, VMRCVM Drug Information Lab) on line database available at http://dil.vetmed.vt.edu/, cited 4/24/06.

Hiraku, Y., Sekine, A., Nabeshi, H., Midorikawa, K., Murata, M., Kumagia, Y., and Kawanishi, S. (2004). Mechanism of carcinogenesis by a veterinary antimicrobial drug, nitrofurazone, via oxidative DNA damage and cell proliferation. Cancer Letters 215, 141-150.

Kim, Y.K, Koh, E., Chung, H.J. and Kwon, H. (2000). Determination of ethyl carbamate in some fermented Korean foods and beverages, Food Additives and Contaminates 17(6), 469-475.

National Toxicology Program's (NTP) websites (cited 4/13/06):
a. General NTP web site: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/
b. Long-term study reports and abstracts. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=084801F0-F43F-7B74-0BE549908B5E5C1C
c. Organ sites associated with neoplasia (cancer); searched on "ovary." http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=0723D2CE-D417-1004-8F2FFBCFE702A2B7

PDR, Physicians' Desk Reference (2005). 59th edition (Montvale, New Jersey, Thompson PDR).

Plumb, D.C. (2005). Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook (5th ed) (Ames, Iowa, Blackwell Publishing).

Back to the top

Ovarian Carcinogens Identified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) The Ribbon

Ovarian Carcinogens Identified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)
The Ribbon