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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantification of γH2AX Foci in Response to Ionising Radiation
Published on: April 7, 2010
GammaH2AX and cancer
William M Bonner1, Christophe E Redon, Jennifer S Dickey
1Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. bonnerw@mail.nih.gov
Abstract:
Histone H2AX phosphorylation on a serine four residues from the carboxyl terminus (producing gammaH2AX) is a sensitive marker for DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs may lead to cancer but, paradoxically, are also used to kill cancer cells. Using gammaH2AX detection to determine the extent of DSB induction may help to detect precancerous cells, to stage cancers, to monitor the effectiveness of cancer therapies and to develop novel anticancer drugs.
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