Interindividual variation among humans in carcinogen metabolism, DNA adduct formation and DNA repair

Chemical carcinogens are generally activated enzymatkally toelectrophiles that form covalently bound carcinogen-DNA adducts.Detoxifying enzymes are competing with the activating enzymesfor these procarcinogenic chemical substrates. Wide person-to-personvariations in these two types of enzymatic activities are found.Repair rates of DNA damage caused by carcinogens also vary amongindividuals. These interindividual differences in the metabolismof chemical carcinogens and repair rates of carcinogen-inducedDNA damage reflect acquired and inherited host factors thatmay influence an individual's risk for development of cancer.