title: DNA repair and nonmelanoma skin cancer in Puerto Rican populations.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ponce School of Medicine, Puerto Rico 00732, USA.
authors.forename: Jaime L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.forename: Jaime L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chompré
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grossman
mesh_terms: 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*