Cancer is a genomic disease associated with accumulation of genetic damage. Cancer-initiating events, such as chromosome breakage, loss and rearrangement, can be used as biomarkers to evaluate individual cancer risk. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN - Cyt) assay parameters in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of thirty four patients diagnosed with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and fifteen healthy women were measured. The genomic instability of patients diagnosed with HSIL were investigated in order to compare differences between the two subgroups of HSIL (CIN 2 and CIN 3). The micronucleus (MN) frequencies in PBL, as well as the frequencies of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) and nuclear buds (NBUD) were higher in patients than in controls (Mann- Whitney test, p < 0.05). These results provide evidence that CBMN cytome assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes may be used to identify individuals who are at high risk of developing cervical cancer. Since the extent of DNA damage varies between CIN 2 and CIN 3, these findings support the CIN grading system.
Keywords: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; Cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay; Genomic instability; HSIL; Micronucleus.
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