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Chromosomal aberrations and risk of cancer in humans: an epidemiologic perspective

Bonassi, S ; Znaor, A ; Norppa, H and Hagmar, Lars LU (2004) In Cytogenetic and Genome Research 104(1-4). p.376-382
Abstract
The pioneering papers published more than one century ago by Theodor Boveri opened the way to extensive research on the mechanism linking chromosomal abnormalities to the pathogenesis of cancer. As a result of this effort, robust theoretical and empirical evidence correlating cytogenetic damage to early stages of cancer in humans was consolidated, and an increased cancer risk was postulated in healthy subjects with high levels of chromosomal aberrations (CA). The first epidemiological investigation aimed at validating CA as predictor of cancer risk was carried out in the early 1990s. In that report the Nordic Study Group described an 80% increased risk of cancer in healthy subjects with high frequencies of CA. The results of this first... (More)
The pioneering papers published more than one century ago by Theodor Boveri opened the way to extensive research on the mechanism linking chromosomal abnormalities to the pathogenesis of cancer. As a result of this effort, robust theoretical and empirical evidence correlating cytogenetic damage to early stages of cancer in humans was consolidated, and an increased cancer risk was postulated in healthy subjects with high levels of chromosomal aberrations (CA). The first epidemiological investigation aimed at validating CA as predictor of cancer risk was carried out in the early 1990s. In that report the Nordic Study Group described an 80% increased risk of cancer in healthy subjects with high frequencies of CA. The results of this first study were replicated a few years later in a parallel research initiative carried out in Italy, and the subsequent pooled analysis of these two cohorts published in 1998 contributed to refine the quantitative estimate of the CA/cancer association. A small case-control study nested in a cohort of subjects screened for CA in Taiwan found an increased risk in subjects with high frequency of chromosome-type CA, while in 2001 a significant increase of cancer incidence associated with high levels of CA was described in a new independent cohort of radon exposed workers from the Czech Republic. Despite some common limitations affecting study design, the studies cited above have provided results of great interest both for the understanding of mechanisms of early stages of carcinogenesis, and for their potential implication for cancer prevention. The recent evolution of molecular techniques and the refinement of high throughput techniques have the potential to improve the knowledge about the role of specific sub-types of CA and to provide further insight into the mechanisms. Finally, the most challenging perspective in the field is the passage from research to regulation, with the implementatlon of preventive policies based on the accumulated knowledge. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Cytogenetic and Genome Research
volume
104
issue
1-4
pages
376 - 382
publisher
Karger
external identifiers
  • wos:000222519900061
  • pmid:15162068
  • scopus:2642586416
  • pmid:15162068
ISSN
1424-859X
DOI
10.1159/000077519
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
afc6fb1a-1966-4fb1-86d6-e64995c841c3 (old id 273222)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:35:20
date last changed
2022-03-29 02:57:37
@article{afc6fb1a-1966-4fb1-86d6-e64995c841c3,
  abstract     = {{The pioneering papers published more than one century ago by Theodor Boveri opened the way to extensive research on the mechanism linking chromosomal abnormalities to the pathogenesis of cancer. As a result of this effort, robust theoretical and empirical evidence correlating cytogenetic damage to early stages of cancer in humans was consolidated, and an increased cancer risk was postulated in healthy subjects with high levels of chromosomal aberrations (CA). The first epidemiological investigation aimed at validating CA as predictor of cancer risk was carried out in the early 1990s. In that report the Nordic Study Group described an 80% increased risk of cancer in healthy subjects with high frequencies of CA. The results of this first study were replicated a few years later in a parallel research initiative carried out in Italy, and the subsequent pooled analysis of these two cohorts published in 1998 contributed to refine the quantitative estimate of the CA/cancer association. A small case-control study nested in a cohort of subjects screened for CA in Taiwan found an increased risk in subjects with high frequency of chromosome-type CA, while in 2001 a significant increase of cancer incidence associated with high levels of CA was described in a new independent cohort of radon exposed workers from the Czech Republic. Despite some common limitations affecting study design, the studies cited above have provided results of great interest both for the understanding of mechanisms of early stages of carcinogenesis, and for their potential implication for cancer prevention. The recent evolution of molecular techniques and the refinement of high throughput techniques have the potential to improve the knowledge about the role of specific sub-types of CA and to provide further insight into the mechanisms. Finally, the most challenging perspective in the field is the passage from research to regulation, with the implementatlon of preventive policies based on the accumulated knowledge.}},
  author       = {{Bonassi, S and Znaor, A and Norppa, H and Hagmar, Lars}},
  issn         = {{1424-859X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-4}},
  pages        = {{376--382}},
  publisher    = {{Karger}},
  series       = {{Cytogenetic and Genome Research}},
  title        = {{Chromosomal aberrations and risk of cancer in humans: an epidemiologic perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000077519}},
  doi          = {{10.1159/000077519}},
  volume       = {{104}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}