Chromosomal radiosensitivity of triple negative breast cancer patients.

Based on clinical and molecular data, breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Breast cancers that have no expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are defined as triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs); luminal cancers have different expressions of ER, PR and/or HER2. TNBCs are frequently linked with advanced disease, poor prognosis and occurrence in young African women, and about 15% of the cases are associated with germline mutations.

The influence of blood storage time and general anaesthesia on chromosomal radiosensitivity assessment.

The micronucleus assay (MN assay) is a well-established assay in genetic toxicology, biomonitoring of mutagen-exposed populations and chromosomal radiosensitivity testing. To evaluate the effect of storage time on the chromosomal radiosensitivity assessment in lymphocytes, micronuclei (MN) yields in blood samples received and processed on the same day were compared with MN yields obtained when blood cultures were set up 24 and 48h after blood sampling. Furthermore, the influence of general anaesthesia on MN and binucleated cells (BN) yields in the MN assay was considered.