DNA repair and nonmelanoma skin cancer in Puerto Rican populations.
BACKGROUND
UV radiation is a risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The relation between DNA damage and oncogenesis suggests that diminished DNA repair capacity (DRC) is involved in tumorigenesis.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a low DRC is a susceptibility factor for the development of NMSC in Puerto Rico.


METHODS
A case-control retrospective clinical study was done to compare the age-adjusted DRC in participants with and without NMSC. DRC was measured using a host cell reactivation assay with a luciferase reporter gene irradiated with UV light and transfected into human peripheral lymphocytes. An epidemiologic questionnaire was used to solicit risk factors.


RESULTS
The mean (+/-2 SE) DRC of 177 control patients without skin cancer was 8.6% +/- 0.7. Participants (280) with NMSC had a 42% lower DRC (5.0% +/- 0.3).


CONCLUSIONS
A low DRC is a susceptibility factor for NMSC.
Matta
Jaime L
JL
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ponce School of Medicine, Puerto Rico 00732, USA.
Villa
Jaime L
JL
Ramos
Juan M
JM
Sanchez
Jorge
J
Chompré
Gladys
G
Ruiz
Abigail
A
Grossman
Lawrence
L
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics*; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*