Biological monitoring of risk of bladder cancer in persons occupationally exposed to aromatic amines.

Recent advances in molecular biology and toxicology have greatly contributed to the early diagnosis of biological changes which may evoke neoplasms. This paper reviews the issues regarding the screening of persons occupationally exposed to carcinogenic aromatic amines. The screening was designed for an early detection of bladder cancer by means of biochemical tests. The applied tests facilitated the estimation of the level of aromatic amines which penetrate an organism (biomarkers of exposure), early diagnosis of the biochemical disorders which may influence cancer development (biomarkers of early effects) and the detection of genetic predispositions which enhance risk of such disorders (biomarkers of susceptibility).