Abstract

PIP: This editorial was prompted by the published association of maternal diethylstilbestrol (DES) ingestion during pregnancy and subsequent development of vaginal adenocarcinoma among female offspring, and explores various factors involved in transplacental chemical carcinogenesis in humans. Known prenatal determinants of carcinogenic transmission are 1) germ cells, 2) transplantation, and 3) ionizing radiation. Other chemicals besides DES which may be implicated in transplacental carcinogenesis are cytotoxic anticancer agents, such as therapy. The hypothesis of DES-associated maternal-fetal exchange was developed as a result of physician recognition of a cluster of cases with commonality; it is hoped that further epidemiological studies, more systemitized, will lead to hypotheses regarding the epidemiology of other in utero carcinogenesis.