Sister chromatid exchange frequency and cell cycle kinetics in cancer patients treated with cytostatic drugs.
The ability of various cytostatic drugs to induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and to alter the progression of cells through mitosis was analyzed in lymphocytes cultured from cancer patients following various in vivo chemotherapy treatments. Control individuals exhibited 4.87 +/- 0.08 SCEs per metaphase. Patients being treated with cyclophosphamide (CP), mitomycin C (MMC), and/or cisplatinum (CPT) in combination with other drugs exhibited 3- to 5-fold greater levels of SCEs. Other cytostatic drugs: the plant alkaloids; vincristine (VCR); and homoharringtonine (HHT); the antibiotic, adriamycin (ADM); the folic acid antagonist, methotrexate (MTX); and the nucleotide analogue, dihydroazacytidine (HAC) did not appear to induce SCE levels significantly above controls. Most of the cytostatic drugs used in cancer patients appeared to delay the progression of cells through mitosis. All the drug protocols which included a known DNA-damaging agent induced SCE. There was no relationship between SCE and cell cycle kinetics. Thus, SCE appears to be a sensitive assay for monitoring the in vivo exposure of individuals to genotoxic agents.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000235:genetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange / Q000187:drug effects