Lab Med Online.  2012 Oct;2(4):223-225.

Chromosomal Instability in the Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of an Ovarian Cancer Patient Undergoing Chemotherapy

• Oh SJ
• Moon HS
• Huh J

Abstract

Chemotherapy agents can induce chromosomal instability, including a variety of chromatid or chromosomal aberrations. However, only limited data is available on the effect of chemotherapy on the kinetics of chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Here, we report the case of an ovarian cancer patient who showed chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes while undergoing chemotherapy. Karyotypic analysis of peripheral blood 1 day after administration of cisplatin and etoposide showed chromosomal or chromatid aberrations, including gaps, breaks, and fragmentation. Chromosome study after completion of the first chemotherapy cycle showed normal karyotype. This finding suggests that chemotherapeutic agents can induce transient chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Keyword

Chromosome; Chemotherapy; Ovarian cancer; Peripheral blood; Instability

MeSH Terms

Chromatids
Chromosomal Instability
Chromosome Aberrations
Cisplatin
Etoposide
Humans
Karyotype
Kinetics
Lymphocytes
Ovarian Neoplasms
Cisplatin
Etoposide

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 G-banded karyogram 1 day after chemotherapy (cisplatin and etoposide) showing chromosomal instability, including chromatid gap (chtg) or break (chtb), chromosomal gap (chrg) or break (chrb), and fragmentation. Chtg, region of a single chromatid with minimal misalignment of the chromatid; chtb, discontinuity of a single chromatid with clear misalignment of one of the chromatids; chrg, a region at the same locus in both chromatids of a single chromosome with minimal misalignment of the chromatids; chrb, discontinuity at the same locus in both chromatids of a single chromosome, which gives rise to an acentric fragment and an abnormal monocentric chromosome.

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