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Leukocyte Chromosome Abnormalities in Advanced Nonhematopoietic Cancer

Cytology Service, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York, New York 10021

Cytogenetic abnormalities have previously been identified in peripheral blood leukocyte cultures of patients with advanced cancer, usually after treatment with drugs or irradiation. In this study, karyotypes were done on leukocyte cultures from 25 patients with advanced malignant tumors of various types. Patients were grouped according to type and amount of drug and/or radiotherapy received, and chromosome abnormalities were compared in these groups.

Untreated patients and those receiving smaller amounts of chemotherapy differed little from normal controls. One patient who had received larger amounts of anticancer drugs, and most of those who had received radiotherapy, particularly high-voltage modalities, had a larger number of chromosome abnormalities. It is concluded that leukocyte chromosome abnormalities seen in patients dying with far-advanced cancer are due to therapy and are not otherwise related to the stage of their disease.

¹ Fellow, Cytology Service.

² Attending Pathologist and Acting Chief Cytology Service. To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Disease, 444 East 68th Street, New York, N. Y. 10021.

Received 4/26/72. Accepted 6/23/72.