DNA-DAMAGE AS MEASURED BY P-32 POSTLABELING IN NORMAL AND PREMALIGNANT GASTRIC-MUCOSA

DNA was extracted from the gastric mucosa of 69 patients and analysed for the presence of DNA adducts by P-32-postlabelling. Adduct levels f ound in patients with histologically normal gastric mucosa were compar ed with levels found in patients displaying evidence of chronic atroph ic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia, both of which may be considered pre-malignant conditions. Adduct patterns were the same for all patie nts, but the highest adduct levels were found in the latter two groups . Mean adduct levels were also higher in patients with abnormal gastri c mucosa, but there was no statistically significant difference in add uct levels between the normal and pre-malignant groups (P > 0.05, Mann -Whitney U test). Thus DNA adduct levels do not correlate with the pre sence of histological abnormalities in the stomach and are not useful as a marker of malignant potential.