Radiation-induced micronucleus frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes is correlated with normal tissue damage in patients with cervical carcinoma undergoing radiotherapy.

In an effort to find a test to predict the response of normal tissue to radiotherapy, the lymphocyte micronucleus assay was used on blood samples from patients with cervical carcinoma. Peripheral blood samples from 55 patients with advanced-stage (II B-IV B) cervical carcinoma were obtained before radiotherapy. The patients were treated with external-beam radiotherapy followed by high-dose-rate brachytherapy.