Review of in vitro test systems using DNA damage and repair for screening of chemical carcinogens.

Chemical carcinogens are mechanistically classified as genotoxic which interact directly with DNA, and epigenetic which cause chronic tissue injury, hormonal imbalance, and promotional effects. This review evaluates in vitro tests for their contribution to a battery for identifying genotoxic chemical carcinogens. In addition to bacterial mutagenic assays, nonspecific DNA damage/repair tests are recommended for screening chemicals, in particular the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test.