Potential genotoxic risk related to simultaneous exposure to radionuclides and cytostatics

The aim of the study was to evaluate the genotoxic risk to medical personnel concurrently exposed to ionizing radiation and antineoplastics, using changes in their lymphocyte cell genome as a bioindicator. The study comprised 12 female nurses employed in the nuclear medicine hospital department and an equal number of matched controls. For each examinee, both conventional structural chromosomal aberration analysis and sister chromatid exchange test (SCE) were carried out. According to Student's t-test, neither the incidence of structural chromosomal aberrations (p > 0.6) nor the mean SCE-frequency rate (p > 0.3) were significantly increased among the exposed subjects. Nevertheless, in those exposed, irreparable chromosomal damages and wide SCE-ranges were observed. Such findings suggest the possibility of genotoxic implications of concurrent occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and antineoplastic drugs.