Mathur, R., S. Mathur, et al. Asbestos and metals as carcinogens. Increased incidences of lung carcinoma and pleural mesothelioma in humans exposed to asbestos have been irrefutably established. Different forms of asbestos may have different tumorigenic activities, depending on surface properties, durability, and size of the fibers. All these metals also induce genetic toxicity in vitro.
Solubility seems to be necessary for the genotoxicity of nickel.
At present it cannot be concluded that all metals act by the same carcinogenic mechanism, even though direct modification of DNA seems to be the common experimental finding. The uptake of beryllium by the alveolar macrophage. Apparent two phase beryllium labelling of hepatic cell nuclei isolated after intravenous administration of beryllium compounds to rats. A possible explanation. In vitro ribosomal ribonucleoprotein transport upon nuclear expansion.