Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2004 Mar;13 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):i48-56.
doi: 10.1136/tc.2002.002816.

Carcinogen derived biomarkers: applications in studies of human exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke

S S Hecht  1
Affiliations
Review

Carcinogen derived biomarkers: applications in studies of human exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke

S S Hecht. Tob Control. 2004 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To review the literature on carcinogen derived biomarkers of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS). These biomarkers are specifically related to known carcinogens in tobacco smoke and include urinary metabolites, DNA adducts, and blood protein adducts.

Method: Published reviews and the current literature were searched for relevant articles.

Results: The most consistently elevated biomarker in people exposed to SHS was 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its glucuronides (NNAL-Gluc), urinary metabolites of the tobacco specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The tobacco specificity of this biomarker as well as its clear relation to an established lung carcinogen are particularly appropriate for its application in studies of SHS exposure.

Conclusion: The results of the available carcinogen derived biomarker studies provide biochemical data which support the conclusion, based on epidemiologic investigations, that SHS causes lung cancer in non-smokers.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2000 Apr;9(4):373-80 - PubMed
    1. Carcinogenesis. 1992 Dec;13(12):2415-8 - PubMed
    1. Mutat Res. 1999 Sep 30;445(2):147-53 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 2000 Jan 7;100(1):57-70 - PubMed
    1. Mutat Res. 2000 Oct 10;470(1):53-70 - PubMed

Publication types