Cytogenic investigations of therapeutically irradiated patients with Hodgkin's disease

The following chromosomal events of irradiation in vivo in Hodgkin's disease patients were investigated. (a) The formation and rate of removal of cells carrying asymmetrical damage after radiotherapy. These may be considered the short term effects. This will involve studies of dose response and lymphocyte half-life. (b) The use of the FPG-technique to illustrate the nature of the transmission of asymmetrical aberrations in vitro through generations. (c) The estimated relative number of actively dividing bone marrow cells which carry balanced chromosomal aberrations. Banded preparations were used to identify peripheral lymphocytes with stable symmetrical rearrangements. (d) On account of the importance of possible genetic hazards that may exist after irradiation, the FPG-technique was used to investigate the effects of irradiation on sister chromatid exchanges frequencies and satellite associations in vivo. (author)