Chromosome radiation-induced aberrations in patients with Hodgkin's disease. Possible correlation with second malignancy?

The karyotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes has been studied in a group of patients with Hodgkin's disease. Before any therapy, the karyotype was either normal or aneuploid. A few months after radiotherapy (total nodal irradiation) a conspicuous amount of structural chromosome aberrations was found. Three to six years after completion of radiotherapy, the lymphocyte karyotype was almost normal, even if stable ionizing radiation-induced aberrations were still detectable. This is consistent with the normal behaviour of these patients and with the long-lasting effect of radiations on nuclear D.N.A. Owing to the close relationship between ionizing raditions and chromosome aberrations on one hand, and abnormal karyotypes and tumors on the other, it cannot be overlooked that these aberrations may play an important role, together with other carcinogenic factors, in the development of second malignancies in these patients.