The use of
biomarkers in molecular epidemiology studies for identifying stages in the progression of development of the health effects of environmental agents has the potential for providing important information for critical regulatory, clinical and public health problems. Investigations of
aflatoxins probably represents one of the most extensive data sets in the field and this work may serve as a template for future studies of other environmental agents. The
aflatoxins are naturally occurring
mycotoxins found on foods such as corn, peanuts, various other nuts and
cottonseed and they have been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in many experimental models. As a result of nearly thirty years of study, experimental data and epidemiological studies in human populations,
aflatoxin B(1) was classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on
Cancer. The long-term goal of the research described herein is the application of
biomarkers to the development of preventative interventions for use in human populations at high-risk for
cancer. Several of the
aflatoxin specific
biomarkers have been validated in epidemiological studies and are now being used as intermediate
biomarkers in prevention studies. The development of these
aflatoxin biomarkers has been based upon the knowledge of the biochemistry and toxicology of
aflatoxins gleaned from both experimental and human studies. These
biomarkers have subsequently been utilised in experimental models to provide data on the modulation of these markers under different situations of disease risk. This systematic approach provides encouragement for preventive interventions and should serve as a template for the development, validation and application of other chemical-specific
biomarkers to
cancer or other
chronic diseases. This systematic approach provides encouragement for preventive interventions and should serve as a template for the development, validation and application of other chemical-specific
biomarkers to
cancer or other
chronic diseases.