Overview: N-nitroso compounds as carcinogens for experimental animals and man.

A number of papers relating N-nitroso compounds as carcinogens for experimental animals and man was reviewed. These summerized in (1) early works, (2) amines and sodium nitrite, (3) disease models, (4) species susceptible to nitrosamines, (5) target organs, (6) strain specificity, (7) individual specificity and (8) minimum carcinogenic dose. Through these literature references and the results of animal experiments in the author's own laboratory on various acylated N-nitroso compounds, the possibility that various preformed nitrosamines in the environment, as well as those which are formed in our body, can cause tumors of various organs in human body is highly suggested.