RISK ASSESSMENT IN CERVICAL DYSPLASIA PATIENTS BY SINGLE-CELL GEL-ELECTROPHORESIS ASSAY - A STUDY OF DNA-DAMAGE AND REPAIR

Precancerous lesions of cervix, commonly known as dysplasia, present a complex problem because of their biological behavior. Increased genet ic instability, either inherent or induced by some external mutagen, i s considered as a primary event or a predisposing factor to neoplastic transformation. The relationship between genetic instability and susc eptibility towards cervical cancer was evaluated with the comet or sin gle cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay. Among precancerous individu als, genomic instability was observed in cervical epithelial cells and peripheral blood leukocytes. The mean basal DNA damage and mean susce ptibility to DNA damage by the mutagen (MNNG) treatment increased wher eas repair capacity decreased with progression of the disease in a ste pwise manner. Inter and intra individual variability was maximum in ca ncerous group. Risk was estimated by giving a predictive value for eac h precancerous individual. In combination with morphological, biochemi cal, and cytogenetic parameters, the SCGE assay may serve as a novel t ool to predict the fate of cervical dysplasia. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce B.V.