DNA repair and nonmelanoma skin cancer in Puerto Rican populations.

Matta, Jaime L; Villa, Jaime L; Ramos, Juan M; Sanchez, Jorge; Chompré, Gladys; Ruiz, Abigail; Grossman, Lawrence · J Am Acad Dermatol · 2003

case_control · Level III

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Abstract

UV radiation is a risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The relation between DNA damage and oncogenesis suggests that diminished DNA repair capacity (DRC) is involved in tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a low DRC is a susceptibility factor for the development of NMSC in Puerto Rico. A case-control retrospective clinical study was done to compare the age-adjusted DRC in participants with and without NMSC. DRC was measured using a host cell reactivation assay with a luciferase reporter gene irradiated with UV light and transfected into human peripheral lymphocytes. An epidemiologic questionnaire was used to solicit risk factors. The mean (+/-2 SE) DRC of 177 control patients without skin cancer was 8.6% +/- 0.7. Participants (280) with NMSC had a 42% lower DRC (5.0% +/- 0.3). A low DRC is a susceptibility factor for NMSC.

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