Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the in vitro sensitivity of lymphocytes of patients with head and neck cancer against gamma irradiation and also to find out if the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations correlate with side effects of radiotherapy.
Patients and Methods: Peripheral blood of 101 patients with head and neck cancer was collected before the onset of radiotherapy, cultured and irradiated in the G2- or the G0- phase of the cell cycle. Lymphocytes of 40 healthy donors were treated in the same way. Chromosomal aberrations such as chromosome and chromatid breakages, chromosome and chromatid gaps, chromatid exchanges and micronuclei were scored in metaphase cells of the patient and control groups.
Results: The frequency of radiation- induced G2 aberrations in lymphocytes of patients were on average higher than in those of healthy donors (P=0.001 for chromosomal breaks). The frequency of radiation-induced micronuclei in the G0 assay were also higher in patients than in those in controls (P=0.05). The results also indicate that there is no correlation between the two assays. No significant correlation was observed between aberration frequencies in lymphocytes and the degree of both early and late normal tissue reactions.
Conclusion: The induced chromosomal aberration frequency of lymphocytes of patients with head and neck cancer are higher than those in healthy individuals, however, it does not appear to have a predictive value for the risk of developing side effects to radiotherapy.