Genetic susceptibility to oral cancer and the expression of common fragile sites. a study of 100 patients.

The expression of bleomycin-induced fragile sites (FS) in the blood lymphocytes of 150 individuals (100 oral cancer patients and 50 age and sex matched controls) is described. FS expression frequencies in oral cancer patients were significantly higher when compared with controls. FS expression was site specific in oral cancer patients. Chromosome 5 was the most affected, with four of its FS expressing in high frequencies. Enhanced expression of FS at the centromeric region was observed in the patient group. This study emphasizes the role of FS in the genetic susceptibility to oral cancer.