Cytogenetic damage induced by radiotherapy. Evaluation of protection by amifostine and analysis of chromosome aberrations persistence.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the cytogenetic damage induced by radiotherapy, the effect of concomitant amifostine and the persistence of translocations and dicentrics after the treatment.


METHODS
Blood samples from 16 head and neck cancer patients were obtained at different times, just before treatment, at the 1st and 22nd sessions, at the end of radiotherapy, and one, four and 12 months later. Solid stain and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques were applied to analyse chromosome aberrations.


RESULTS
In all the analysis the frequencies of dicentrics plus rings were slightly lower in the group of patients receiving concomitant amifostine, but in each sampling point the differences were not significant. The persistence of translocations and dicentrics one year after radiotherapy was very similar, with a decline of more than 50%. For all the chromosome aberrations considered, a negative correlation between their initial yield and the percentage of this yield remained 12 months after radiotherapy was observed (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
No significant protection by amifostine against radiation-induced chromosome damage was observed in head and neck cancer patients treated only with radiotherapy. In these cases, the persistence of translocations and dicentrics during the first year after radiotherapy is similar and related to their initial yield.
Xunclà
Mar
M
Unitat d'Antropologia Biològica, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
Barquinero
Joan Francesc
JF
Caballín
María Rosa
MR
Craven-Bartle
Jordi
J
Ribas
Montserrat
M
de Vega
José Manuel
JM
Barrios
Leonardo
L
D004999:Amifostine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D004999:Amifostine