Residual DNA and chromosomal damage in ex vivo irradiated blood lymphocytes correlated with late normal tissue response to breast radiotherapy

Higher levels of exchange type aberrations observed among radiosensitive breast cancer patients suggest a role for DSB misrepair, in addition to residual damage, as determinants of late normal tissue damage. Correlation of residual foci levels with deletion type aberration yields in the same cohort confirms their mechanistic linkage.