Tumor promoters and cocarcinogens in tobacco carcinogenesis

Cigarette smoke induces carcinoma of the larynx in Syrian golden hamsters and is active as a tumor promoter in hamsters pretreated with a low dose of a PAH, nitrosamine, or nitrosamide. These tumorigenic effects are only observed with total smoke, but not with the gas phase alone. This demonstrates that the tumorigenic agents reside primarily in the particulate phase. According to fractionation experiments, a number of four- and five-ring aromatic hydrocarbons serve as the major tumor initiators in tobacco smoke. Tumor promoters reside primarily in weakly polaric neutral subfractions and in the weakly acidic portion of the particulate matter and include certain unsaturated hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds. Cocarcinogenic activity is a characteristic feature of tobacco smoke and its particulates. Among the cocarcinogens formed during combustion are catechols and certain nontumorigenic aromatic hydrocarbons and terpenes. Nicotine may also serve as a cocarcinogen as is indicated by preliminary data. The action of tumor promoters and cocarcinogens in tobacco carcinogenesis, the precursors for tobacco smoke promoters and cocarcinogens, and methods for their reduction in smoke are discussed.