HIGH SPONTANEOUS CHROMOSOMAL DAMAGE IN LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS WITHHEREDITARY MEGADUODENUM

Chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assays were used to investigat e the extent of cytogenetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes fro m four patients in two unrelated families with hereditary megaduodenum . The frequencies of total chromosomal aberrations, which significantl y correlated with those of micronuclei, were higher in the patients th an in sex- and age-matched controls, with no overlapping between the t wo groups. The considerable chromosomal fragility in patients with her editary megaduodenum may be a genotypic marker for preclinical diagnos is predictive of increased cancer risk.