Vinblastine, cisplatin and bleomycin (VPB) adjuvant therapy does not induce dose-dependent damage in human chromosomes.

Chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges were examined in testicular tumor patients treated by 4 cycles of vinblastine, cisplatin and bleomycin adjuvant therapy. The predominant aberrations in cells varied among the patients, and due to interindividual variability no time- or dose-dependent changes were observed in cytogenetic data. There was found an overdispersion of aberrations which might be explained by the effect of bleomycin. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency was slightly increased and showed also an individual variability in the response to vinblastine, cisplatin and bleomycin (VPB) therapy. No correlation with chromosome aberration rate was found. Further data are required for the real estimation of long-term effects of VPB therapy.