Evaluation of radiation-induced chromosome instability in subjects with a family history of gastric cancer.
Gastric cancer (GC) shows a familiar predisposition which is largely unexplained. In this study the hypothesis that radiation sensitivity is implicated in the familiar predisposition to GC was investigated by means of the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. Data indicate that a family history of GC is not associated with any of the biomarkers investigated and does not interact with the demographic variables considered. When study subjects were dichotomized around the median age, a significant prevalence of micronuclei was observed in older subjects. Age and both spontaneous and radiation-induced micronuclei were linearly correlated. The effect of age was not modified by gender or smoking habits.
Marcon
Francesca
F
Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. marcon@iss.it
Palli
Domenico
D
Zufferli
Alessandra
A
Mazzoli
Elisa
E
Siniscalchi
Ester
E
Sera
Francesco
F
Saieva
Calogero
C
Crebelli
Riccardo
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D043171:Chromosomal Instability / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000528:radiation effects; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015415:Biomarkers