Can consumption of raw vegetables decrease the count of sister chromatid exchange? : results from a cross-sectional study in Krakow, Poland

BACKGROUND: Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) is a widely used sensitive cytogenetic biomarker of exposure to genotoxic and cancerogenic agents. Results of human monitoring studies and cytogenetic damage have revealed that biological effects of genotoxic exposures are influenced by confounding factors related to life-style. Vegetable and fruit consumption may play a role, but available results are not consistent. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of consumption of raw and cooked vegetables and fruits on SCE frequency. METHODS: A total of 62 participants included colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, hospital-based controls and healthy laboratory workers. SCE frequency was assessed in blood lymphocytes. Frequency of vegetable and fruit consumption was gathered by structured semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: SCE frequency was lowest among hospital-based controls (4.4 ± 1.1), a bit higher in CRC patients (4.5 ± 1.0) and highest among laboratory workers (7.4 ± 1.2) (p < 0.05). Multivariable linear regression showed a significant inverse effect (b = −0.20) of raw vegetable consumption, but not so for intake of cooked vegetables and fruits. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study have shown the beneficial effect of consumption of raw vegetables on disrupted replication of DNA measured by SCE frequency, implying protection against genotoxic agents. Further effort is required to verify the role of cooked vegetables and fruits

Study on students' awareness concerning environmental and occupational hazardous agents of cancer risk and prevention methods

Background. The aim of our study was to assess the level of awareness and knowledge on environmental and occupational risk of cancer and its prevention among Polish students. We were interested also in their sources of knowledge. Methods. Survey, using the questionnaire, was conducted among 1080 respondents, who are or probably will be in their future work, exposed to harmful agents, due to study profile. Results. Students rated their knowledge on environmental and occupational cancer agents and cancer prevention mostly as limited (over 77%). Participation in “Safety Work and Environment” courses did not differentiate their level of cancer risk awareness. 901 students (84%) responded to question about specific substances, which may cause cancer. Almost 2% of students indicated none from 10 given agents as carcinogenic. About 34% of respondents pointed all given agents, 39% pointed on 8–9 of them, 5–7 agents 13.2% of surveyed and 9% of them indicated on 1–4 agents. Students were aware of carcinogenic features of radiation, asbestos, cigarettes smoking (93.2–93.8%), benzene, benzo[?]pirene and pesticides (79,2 –83,6%). Less of them declared carcinogenic features of PAHs (75.4%), heavy metals (73.9%), electromagnetic field (64.8%) and infections (60.8%). Only 48% of respondents specified possible lowering of the cancer by risk intervention practices. Medical and engineering profile, as well as attendance in courses covering the issues of health safety at work or environment (SWE) significantly decreased percentage of respondents who didn’t specified any procedure (but it was still high: 48–62%). Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that most students, only to some extent, are aware of the most well known cancer-causing substances occurrence. Their knowledge is mostly limited and they do not know prevention procedures and ways to lower or eliminate the risk. Therefore the modernization of educational programs and development of more efficient communication strategies in that issues are emerging

An increased micronucleus frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes predicts the risk of cancer in humans

none24noneS. BONASSI; A. ZNAOR; M. CEPPI; C. LANDO; W.P. CHANG; N. HOLLAND; M. KIRSCH-VOLDERS; E. ZEIGER; S. BAN; R. BARALE; M.P. BIGATTI; C. BOLOGNESI; A. CEBULSKA-WASILEWSKA; E. FABIANOVA; A. FUCIC; L. HAGMAR; G. JOKSIC; A. MARTELLI; L. MIGLIORE; E. MIRKOVA; M.R. SCARFI; A. ZIJNO; H. NORPPA; M. FENECHS., Bonassi; A., Znaor; M., Ceppi; C., Lando; W. P., Chang; N., Holland; M., KIRSCH VOLDERS; E., Zeiger; S., Ban; R., Barale; M. P., Bigatti; C., Bolognesi; A., CEBULSKA WASILEWSKA; E., Fabianova; A., Fucic; L., Hagmar; G., Joksic; Martelli, ANTONIETTA MARIA; L., Migliore; E., Mirkova; M. R., Scarfi; A., Zijno; H., Norppa; M., Fenec

Chromosomal aberration frequency in lymphocytes predicts the risk of cancer: results from a pooled cohort study of 22 358 subjects in 11 countries

Mechanistic evidence linking chromosomal aberration (CA) to early stages of cancer has been recently supported by the results of epidemiological studies that associated CA frequency in peripheral lymphocytes of healthy individuals to future cancer incidence. To overcome the limitations of single studies and to evaluate the strength of this association, a pooled analysis was carried out. The pooled database included 11 national cohorts and a total of 22 358 cancer-free individuals who underwent genetic screening with CA for biomonitoring purposes during 1965–2002 and were followed up for cancer incidence and/or mortality for an average of 10.1 years; 368 cancer deaths and 675 incident cancer cases were observed. Subjects were classified within each laboratory according to tertiles of CA frequency. The relative risk (RR) of cancer was increased for subjects in the medium [RR = 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.60] and in the high (RR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.16–1.72) tertiles when compared with the low tertile. This increase was mostly driven by chromosome-type aberrations. The presence of ring chromosomes increased the RR to 2.22 (95% CI = 1.34–3.68). The strongest association was found for stomach cancer [RRmedium = 1.17 (95% CI = 0.37–3.70), RRhigh = 3.13 (95% CI = 1.17–8.39)]. Exposure to carcinogens did not modify the effect of CA levels on overall cancer risk. These results reinforce the evidence of a link between CA frequency and cancer risk and provide novel information on the role of aberration subclass and cancer type

Application of ionizing radiation in studies of biomarkers of individual susceptibility

Human biomonitoring, as a tool to identify health risk from environmental exposures, has gained increasing interest especially in the areas of cancer risk assessment and diseases treatment. Chromosome aberrations resulting from direct DNA breakage or from inhibition of DNA repair or synthesis, measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes, have been used successfully in the assessment of health risk associated to environmental genotoxic exposures. A faster but sensitive and reliable method for detection of DNA damage, or DNA repair capacity, might be crucial to many fields from molecular epidemiology and toxicology to preventive and clinical medicine. There are reports that results of DNA measures with the use of single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) correlate, on the one hand, with physical measures of genotoxins, and on the other hand, with cytogenetic damage that is a biomarker associated to the alteration of the health risk. This review is based on studies in which exposure to radiation was applied as a challenging treatment and DNA damage induced and repaired was analyzed with the use of the alkaline version of SCGE assay. Results from studies on susceptibilities and repair competence carried out in various groups of exposed workers, controls, and cancer patients (more than 700 donors) show variability between donors both in a response to challenging treatment and in the efficiency of repair process. Influences of the occupational exposures and factors depending on genotypes or life style on cellular capacities are observed. Discussed results suggest that study in vitro with the challenging cells by radiation exposure and measuring, with the SCGE assay, the DNA damage before and after repair, may develop a good biomarker of the individual susceptibility to various genotoxins and exposures (environmental, occupational, therapeutic). Such a biomarker may have a potential use in a molecular epidemiology and preclinical identification