title: The heritability of G2 chromosomal radiosensitivity and its association with cancer in Danish cancer survivors and their offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between chromosomal radiosensitivity and early-onset cancer under the age of 35 years and to examine the heritability of chromosomal radiosensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for 72 hours prior to being irradiated with 0.5 Gy, 300 kV X-rays. Colcemid was added to cultures 30 min post-irradiation. Cultures were harvested 90 min post-irradiation and analysed for chromatid gaps and breaks. Heritability was estimated using Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines (SOLAR) software and by segregation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated radiosensitivity was seen for seven out of 29 (24.1%) cancer survivors, three out of 29 (10.3%) partners and 10 out of 53 (20.8%) offspring. Although the proportion of individuals displaying enhanced radiosensitivity was twice as high in both the cancer survivor and offspring groups than the partner controls, neither reached statistical significance. Heritability analysis of the radiosensitive phenotype suggested 57.9-78.0% of the variance could be attributed to genetic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An association between G(2) chromosomal radiosensitivity and childhood and young adult cancer is suggested but was not statistically significant. In contrast, there is strong evidence for heritability of the radiosensitive phenotype. The cancer survivors included a broad range of malignancies and future studies should focus on specific cancers with known or likely faults in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage recognition and repair mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Westlakes Research Institute, Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria, UK. gillian.curwen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gillian B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Curwen
authors.forename: Kevin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cadwell
authors.forename: Jeanette F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Winther
authors.forename: E Janet
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Tawn
authors.forename: Gwen S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Jørgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rechnitzer
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guldberg
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cordell
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Boice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors; D014964:X-Ray Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
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