Korean J Clin Pathol.  1997 Aug;17(4):662-667.

Chromosomal Vulnerability to gamma-irradiation of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Patients with Various Cancers

• Cho D
• Bom HS
• Choi KH
• Byun DE
• Kim SH
• Sun SP

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Human cancel can be induced by various environmental factors such as virus, chemicals, and radiations. However, susceptibility of host to these environmental factors is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chromosomal vulnerability to gamma-1rradiation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with luring, gastric, and liver cancer.
METHODS
Micronuclei (MN) test was done in 15 patients with gastric cancer, 18 patients with lung cancer, and 20 normal controls. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test was done in 13 patients with hepatocellular cancer and 14 normal controls.
RESULTS
The baseline frequency of MN before irradiation in patients with lung cancer and gastric cancel was significantly higher than in controls (47+/-8, 73+/-9, and 8+/-l, respectively; p<0.01). After gamma-irradiation, the frequency of MN was also significantly higher than in controls (223+/-19, 269+/-43, and 285+/-56, respectively; p<0.05). The frequency of SCE in Patients with hepatocellular cancer was significantly higher her than in controls (9.0+/-0.6, 4.3+/-0.7, respectively; p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
From this preliminay data, we concluded that chromosomes of peripheyal blood lymphocytes in patients with various cancers were more vulnerable to gamma-irradiation as compared to normal controls.

MeSH Terms

Humans
Liver Neoplasms
Lung Neoplasms
Lymphocytes*
Sister Chromatid Exchange
Stomach Neoplasms