There is evidence that increased frequency of chromosomal aberration (CA) in peripheral blood lymphocytes is a predictor of cancer, but further data are needed to better characterize CA as marker of cancer risk. From the archives of 15 laboratories we gathered cytogenetic records of 11,834 subjects who were free of cancer at the moment of blood drawing and who underwent cytogenetic examination for preventive purposes in the Czech Republic during 1975-2000. We linked these records to the national cancer registry, revealing a total of 485 cancer cases. Subjects were classified according to the percentiles of CA distribution within each laboratory as low (0-33rd percentile), medium (34-66th percentile), and high (66-100th percentile). Subjects were further classified by occupational exposure and by subclass of CA. We found a significant association between the overall cancer incidence and the presence of chromosome-type aberrations [relative risk (RR) for high vs. low CA level = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.50] but not chromatid-type aberrations. Stomach cancer showed a strong association with frequency of total CA (RR = 7.79; 95% CI, 1.01-60.0). The predictivity of CA observed in subjects exposed to various classes of carcinogens did not significantly differ from the group of nonexposed subjects. This study contributes to validation of CA as a predictive marker of cancer risk, in particular, of stomach cancer; the association between CA frequency and cancer risk might be limited to chromosome-type aberrations.

• MeSH
• chromozomální aberace * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfocyty MeSH
• nádory žaludku genetika   MeSH
• nádory etiologie   genetika   MeSH
• registrace statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

We used cytogenetic analysis to carry out a cohort study in which the major objective was to test the association between frequency of chromosomal aberrations and subsequent risk of cancer. In spite of the extensive use of the cytogenetic analysis of human peripheral blood lymphocytes in biomonitoring of exposure to various mutagens and carcinogens on an ecologic level, the long-term effects of an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations in individuals are still uncertain. Few epidemiologic studies have addressed this issue, and a moderate risk of cancer in individuals with an elevated frequency of chromosomal aberrations has been observed. In the present study, we analyzed data on 8,962 cytogenetic tests and 3,973 subjects. We found a significant and strong association between the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and cancer incidence in a group of miners exposed to radon, where a 1% increase in frequency of chromosomal aberrations was followed by a 64% increase in risk of cancer (p < 0.000). In contrast, the collected data are inadequate for a critical evaluation of the association with exposure to other chemicals.

• MeSH
• chromozomální aberace * MeSH
• chromozomální poruchy * MeSH
• cytogenetika MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• karcinogeny životního prostředí škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory epidemiologie   etiologie   genetika   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * MeSH
• radon škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Názvy látek
• karcinogeny životního prostředí MeSH
• radon MeSH