Gamma radiation sensitivity and risk of malignant and benign salivary gland tumors: a pilot case-control analysis.
BACKGROUND
The salivary gland is a highly radiosensitive organ. Exposure to gamma radiation is a risk factor for both malignant (MSTs) and benign salivary gland tumors (BSTs), but the exact mechanisms remain unknown. The objectives of the current study were to determine whether gamma radiation-induced chromatid breaks increase the risk of MSTs and BSTs and whether there is any difference in risk between these two diseases.


METHODS
The authors performed a pilot case-control study of 57 patients with salivary gland diseases (45 patients with MSTs and 12 patients with BSTs) and 105 cancer-free controls. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from these participants were cultured and exposed to gamma radiation (1.5 grays). Five hours later, metaphase spread slides were evaluated. The chromatid breaks in 50 well-spread metaphase slides were counted to determine the average number of chromatid breaks per cell (b/c).


RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that gamma radiation-induced b/c values greater than the median of the controls were a significant risk factor for salivary gland tumors (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 17.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.92-60.49). The risk remained significant for MSTs (adjusted OR, 40.45; 95% CI, 5.27-310.17) but was of borderline significance for BSTs (adjusted OR, 4.73; 95% CI, 0.94-23.87) when these tumors were analyzed separately.


CONCLUSIONS
In the current study, high levels of chromatid breaks in lymphocytes induced by gamma irradiation were associated with an independent risk for MSTs and were likely to increase the risk of BSTs. However, larger studies are needed to verify these findings.
Zheng
Rong
R
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA.
Wang
Li-E
LE
Bondy
Melissa L
ML
Wei
Qingyi
Q
Sturgis
Erich M
EM
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004249:DNA Damage; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D017678:Sex Distribution