Evaluation of sister chromatid exchange in patients with breast cancer in relation to clinical stage

Abstract

High levels of sister chromtid exchanges (SCE) in patients with breast caner reflects a genomic instability that may be operative in carcinogenesis.The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral blood lymphocytes was analyzed in patients with breast cancer in relation to clinical stage in 12 stage II and 5 Stage IV untreated breast cancer patients.Moreover,SCE baseline values in patients were compared with a control group of 12 healthy women. A significant difference emerged between patients and control (P<0.01).SCE increased significantly in stage IV breast cancer patients compared with those patients of stage II (P<0.05).The results reveal that SCE frequency increases with the progression of clinical stage of breast cancer.