title: Levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine in DNA from blood as a marker of breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative DNA damage can result from numerous endogenous metabolic processes as well as from exposure to environmental and dietary oxidants. One important type of oxidative DNA damage is the formation of hydroxylated DNA bases. This type of DNA damage may have a role in carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the levels of a hydroxylated thymine residue, 5-hydroxy-methyl-2'-deoxyuridine, in DNA obtained from the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients and control women. The isolated DNA was analyzed for levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine by gas chromatography with mass spectral detection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of this modified base were significantly higher in 25 breast cancer patients compared with 38 controls, with levels of 0.112 +/- 0.046 in the cancer patients versus 0.083 - 0.025 in the controls, given as pg 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine/ng thymidine, mean +/- standard deviation (P = 0.019). After controlling for various covariates, the adjusted mean levels of oxidative DNA damage were still significantly higher in women with breast cancer relative to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine in DNA from peripheral nucleated blood may be potentially useful as a marker of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Djuric
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Heilbrun
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Luongo
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: LoRusso
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martino
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017698:Postmenopause; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C018080:5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine; D004247:DNA; D013936:Thymidine