title: Micronucleus frequency and content in healthy relatives of cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare chromosomal damage in lymphocytes of individuals who did or did not report first-degree relatives with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases and controls (68 each) were matched for sex, age and radon exposure. Chromosomal damage was quantified as frequency of micronucleus-containing cells and proportion of centromere-free micronuclei.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals not reporting cancer in their families showed lower values of both the frequency of micronucleus-containing cells (n.s.) and the proportion of centromere-free micronuclei (p < 0.05) in some subgroups, but not in all.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The chromosomal damage observed may be due to inheritable genomic instability, but environmental influences cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Radiology, Toxicology and Civil Protection, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia , České Budějovice , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Friedo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zölzer
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Radiology, Toxicology and Civil Protection, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia , České Budějovice , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Křížová
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Radiology, Toxicology and Civil Protection, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia , České Budějovice , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Freitinger Skalická
authors.affiliation: b Department of Genetic Ecotoxicology , Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rössnerová
authors.affiliation: b Department of Genetic Ecotoxicology , Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Šrám
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D000069079:Radiation Exposure
keywords: Micronucleus centromere test; cancer predisposition; chromosomal damage; inheritable trait; radon