Association between family history of cancer and mutagen sensitivity in upper aerodigestive tract cancer patients Journal Article


Authors: Bondy, M. L.; Spitz, M. R.; Halabi, S.; Fueger, J. J.; Schantz, S. P.; Sample, D.; Hsu, T. C.
Article Title: Association between family history of cancer and mutagen sensitivity in upper aerodigestive tract cancer patients
Abstract: This study evaluated the relationship between family history of cancer and bleomycin-induced mutagen sensitivity. The study included 108 patients who registered at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center from June 1987 to June 1991 with histologically confirmed and previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. All patients underwent the mutagen sensitivity assay and completed a self-administered risk evaluation questionnaire, including a detailed family history. The patients reported having 650 first-degree relatives, including 54 cases with cancers. The patients were classified as mutagen sensitive (>1 chromosome break/cell) or not mutagen sensitive (<0.99 chromosome breaks/cell). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to test for significant associations between mutagen sensitivity and family history of cancer. We found a significant OR (OR = 2.63; 95% confidence interval = 1.06-6.53) for patients who were mutagen sensitive and had one first-degree relative affected with cancer. For mutagen-sensitive patients with two or more first-degree relatives affected with cancer, the OR increased to 6.59 (95% confidence interval = 1.69-25.72). Although 88% of the patients were ever smokers, cigarette smoking was not found to be related to mutagen sensitivity. The study findings suggest that patients who have defective DNA repair capability as evidenced by the mutagen sensitivity assay are significantly more likely to report a family history of cancer than patients who are not mutagen sensitive. Further studies are needed to confirm that mutagen- sensitive individuals have inherited an increased risk of cancer. © 1993, American Association for Cancer Research. All rights reserved.
Keywords: adult; aged; case control study; genetics; case-control studies; squamous cell carcinoma; carcinoma, squamous cell; laryngeal neoplasms; pathophysiology; chromosome; dna repair; incidence; risk factors; smoking; age factors; drug effect; pathology; risk factor; age; bleomycin; lymphocyte; lymphocytes; mouth neoplasms; chromosomes; pharynx cancer; mutagens; middle age; larynx tumor; mouth tumor; pharyngeal neoplasms; human; male; female; article; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; mutagenic agent
Journal Title: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
Volume: 2
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1055-9965
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 1993-03-01
Start Page: 103
End Page: 106
Language: English
PUBMED: 7682127
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Stimson P Schantz
    115 Schantz