The expression of common fragile sites induced by aphidicolin and caffeine
was evaluated on prometaphase obtained from the peripheral blood lymphocyte
s 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 c
ytogenetic and statistical evaluation, the number of damaged cells, chromos
omal aberrations, and expression frequencies of fragile sites detected in p
atients with breast cancer and their first-degree relatives were found to b
e significantly higher than those in the control group. Our findings indica
te an increased genetic instability in women with breast carcinomas and the
ir relatives. Therefore, fragile sites may be used as a reliable marker for
defining genetic susceptibility to cancer in general. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss,
Inc.