Tricker A R, Preussmann R
German Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Toxicology and Chemotherapy, Heidelberg.
Mutat Res. 1991 Mar-Apr;259(3-4):277-89. doi: 10.1016/0165-1218(91)90123-4.
Nitrosamines form a large group of genotoxic chemical carcinogens which occur in the human diet and other environmental media, and can be formed endogenously in the human body. N-Nitroso compounds can induce cancer in experimental animals. Some representative compounds of this class induce cancer in at least 40 different animal species including higher primates. Tumours induced in experimental animals resemble their human counterparts with respect to both morphological and biochemical properties. Extensive experimental, and some epidemiological data suggest that humans are susceptible to carcinogenesis by N-nitroso compounds and that the presence of these compounds in some foods may be regarded as an aetiological risk factor for certain human cancers including cancers of the oesophagus, stomach and nasopharynx.
亚硝胺是一大类具有遗传毒性的化学致癌物，存在于人类饮食和其他环境介质中，也可在人体内内源性形成。N-亚硝基化合物可在实验动物中诱发癌症。这类化合物中的一些代表性化合物能在至少40种不同动物物种（包括高等灵长类动物）中诱发癌症。实验动物诱发的肿瘤在形态和生化特性方面与人类肿瘤相似。大量的实验以及一些流行病学数据表明，人类易受N-亚硝基化合物致癌作用的影响，某些食物中这些化合物的存在可能被视为某些人类癌症（包括食管癌、胃癌和鼻咽癌）的病因学风险因素。
