Common fragile site expression and genetic predisposition to breast cancer

• Published in: Teratogenesis, carcinogenesis, and mutagenesis carcinogenesis, and mutagenesis, 1998, Vol.18 (6), p.279-291
• Main Authors: Çeçener, Gülşah, Egeli, Ünal, Taşdelen, Ismet, Tunca, Berrin, Duman, Hakan, Kizil, Ayhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aphidicolin; Aphidicolin - toxicity; Biological and medical sciences; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; caffeine; Caffeine - toxicity; chromosomal abnormalities; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosome Fragile Sites; Chromosome Fragility - genetics; Female; fragile sites; Genetic Markers; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; genetic susceptibility; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Lymphocytes - ultrastructure; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Pedigree; Risk Factors; Tumors
• ISSN: 0270-3211; 1520-6866
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6866(1998)18:6<279::AID-TCM2>3.0.CO;2-U

The expression of common fragile sites induced by aphidicolin and caffeine was evaluated on prometaphase obtained from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 35 women with breast cancer, their 35 clinically healthy female family members, and 20 sex‐ and age‐matched normal controls. As a result of the cytogenetic and statistical evaluation, the number of damaged cells, chromosomal aberrations, and expression frequencies of fragile sites detected in patients with breast cancer and their first‐degree relatives were found to be significantly higher than those in the control group. Our findings indicate an increased genetic instability in women with breast carcinomas and their relatives. Therefore, fragile sites may be used as a reliable marker for defining genetic susceptibility to cancer in general. Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 18:279–291, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.