Susterchromatieduitruile in limfosiete van vrouens met vroeë mammakarsinoom

DNA in cell chromosome control important activities such as cell growth, cell differentiation and processes of synthesis. Any alteration in DNA integrity could lead to cellular malfunctioning and could also increase the risk of malignant transformation of the cell. In this investigation an effort was made to quantify changes that might occur in the DNA molecule. Sister chromatod exchanges and SCE relevant determinations, related to the stability and integrity of the DNA molecule, were performed on cultured T-lymphocytes of 224 females classified as follows: a) Normal, healthy females of varying age groups, with no family history of mammary carcinoma. b) Normal, healthy females with a positive family history of mammary carcinoma. c) Female patients with proven early mammary carcinoma. Statistical analyses (regression, variance and discriminant analysis) on data obtained in these investigations, indicate that significant differences in respect of four variables exist between the various age groups, as well as between the abovementioned three groups. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1. Instability and non specific changes in the DNA of cells increase with increasing age. 2. Females with a positive family history of mammary carcinoma, show a greater degree of DNA instability than controls. 3. Females who have developed mammary carcinoma reveal a significant increase in DNA changes. The abovementioned findings would suggest that quantification of DNA changes could contribute to the early identification of high risk cases for breast cancer.