CHROMOSOME-5 ABERRATIONS AND GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TO LUNG-CANCER

In this study, we aimed to confirm the finding that chromosome 5 aberr ations are predisposing factors for lung cancer. The study population consisted of 118 previously untreated lung cancer patients and 101 hea lthy controls. Lymphocytes were treated with bleomycin for 5 hr and th en allowed to recover in a drug-free medium for 48 hr. The mean number of cells with chromosome 5 abnormalities among 100 cells examined was significantly higher in patients (9.12) than in controls (4.69) (p < 0.001). The most frequent aberration was a 5q deletion and the breakpo ints clustered at the 5q13-5q31 region. We then dichotomized the numbe r of induced chromosome 5 abnormalities in peripheral blood lymphocyte s by the 75th percentile in that of the controls. 103 (87.3%), of the 118 patients, but only 31 (30.7%) of the 101 controls, exhibited induc ed breaks above this point. After adjustment for age, sex, ethnicity a nd smoking status, we found that the sensitive group was at 14.4-fold increased risk for lung cancer. There was also a significant (p < 0.01 ) gradient of increased risk far lung cancer with an increasing number of chromosome 5 lesions. Therefore, chromosome 5 lesions, especially those at 5q, may be a molecular target of carcinogens in the developme nt of lung cancer. Int. J. Cancer (Pred. Oncol.) 79:490-493, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.