No evidence of increased chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei in lymphocytes from nonfamilial thyroid cancer patients prior to radiotherapy

The relationship between the presence of high frequencies of chromosomal ab errations in peripheral lymphocytes and predisposition to cancer has been s uggested for some cancer diseases. In nonfamilial thyroid cancer, the few r eports available are equivocal. The aim of this study was to assess the pos sible chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 22 patie nts suffering from nonfamilial thyroid cancer. For this purpose, 2 classic cytogenetic assays, the chromosomal aberrations assay and cytokinesis-block ed micronucleus assay, were chosen. The frequency of chromosomal aberration s excluding gaps (%) was 1.68 +/- 1.39 (mean value +/- SD) for the patients group versus 2.20 +/- 1.87 for the control group. The frequency of binucle ated lymphocytes with micronuclei (parts per thousand) was 5.41 +/- 3.51 (m ean value +/- SD) for the patients group versus 5.37 +/- 3.21 for the contr ol group. The results obtained revealed no significant differences between both groups. The present study reinforces the idea that constitutional chro mosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes is not visible in nonfa milial thyroid carcinomas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserv ed.