Evaluation of genetic damage due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia by micronuclei assay

Introduction: Leukemia is a heterogenous grou p of neoplastic disorder, which derived from malignant transformation of hematopoietic progeni to rs. In most cases, leukemia is associated with cytogenetic diso rd er. In addition, cytogene t ic dis orde rs are ind uced by chemicals and radiation which arc used as th e rapeutically regime ns. Mic ronuclei assay is one of the sensitive methods in evaluat io n of ge netic and chromosomal aberratio n. In th e present study, genetic alteration due to radiot herapy and chemotherapy protocols in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are evaluated by micronuclei assay techniques. Materials and Methods: Total of 40 patients with ALL and 10 controls we re used as sampic subjects. According to treatment phases, patients were divided arc into four grou ps as a witho ut trea tment, remission induct io n, consolidati on and ma intenance grou ps. Gene tic alteration in these groups were evaluated by micronuclei assay techn iques. Results: The frequency of micronuclei observed for each group was significant ly higher than co ntrol group. Data also indicated thattherc were signi ficant diffe re ces in the freq uency of micron uclei amoung four groups. Conclusion: The findings ind icate th at ra diotherapy and chemo therapy in ALL pati ents mainly kills cells by induction of genetic loss (chromosomal aberration) . Observation of genetic loss in erytrocytic cells can be considerd as a significant side of radiotherapy or che motherapy.