The study of chromosomal instability in patients with endometrial cancer

Abstract

Aim: Study is devoted to evaluation of sensitivity of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes (PBL) of patients with endometrial cancer (EC) to genotoxic effect of bleomycin and detection of patients with hidden chromosomal instability. Methods: PBL of 24 EC patients (mean age 58.9 ± 2.9) and 10 healthy women-volunteers (mean age 55.7 ± 2.3) were subjected to cytogenetic analysis. Results: Mean spontaneous level of chromosomal aberrations (CA) per 100 analyzed lymphocytes (CA/100) of healthy women has equaled 2.7 ± 0.6, i.e. has not exceeded maximal values of healthy population and was significantly lower (p < 0.05), than in PBL of EC patients (6.9 ± 0.6). After incubation of PBL with bleomycin, number of CA/100 significantly was increased both in control (11.5 ± 1.3) and in EC patients (21.9 ± 1.0). Spontaneous chromosomal instability has been observed in 41.7%, increased sensitivity to bleomycin — in 54.2% and hidden chromosomal instability in 37.5% of patients with EC. It has been shown that level of specific damage of genome in EC patients has constituted 2·10–5, and after exposure with bleomycin, it was increased 4.5 times (9·10–5) that was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to control (8·10–6 and 1.0·10–5, respectively). Conclusion: These results have demonstrated that PBL of most patients with EC are characterized by apparent genome alterations, which are manifested by increased number of spontaneous and induced chromosomal damages, hypersensitivity to mutagens and hidden chromosomal instability. Key Words: endometrial cancer, peripheral blood lymphocytes, chromosomal aberrations, hidden chromosomal instability.