Abstract 1436P
Background
Micronuclei analysis is considered in oncology as a potential biomarker, used for risk assessment and prognosis purposes. This pilot study aimed to determine if there is a genotoxic effect caused by bullying in children and adolescents, through the examination of the difference between the frequency of bullying, micronuclei, and other nuclear abnormalities, between Central Nervous System cancer patients and healthy volunteers.
Methods
Prior Ethics Committee approval. Subjects from 4-17 y/o were recruited (N=39): 19 patients with CNS cancer in treatment and 20 healthy volunteers. All participants answered questionnaires: PedsQL 4.0, family violence and bullying. Samples were collected by exfoliating buccal mucosa through cytobrush. Participants were divided in four groups according to diagnosis and experience of bullying.
Results
No age or sex difference was observed between groups; the most frequent tumor was astrocytoma. 23 subjects (59%) met the criteria for bullying. Correlating sex and bullying, 12 (66%) were males of which 6 (50%) were patients and 6 (50%) volunteers, and 11 (52.3%) were females, 5 (45.4%) patients and 6 (54.5%) volunteers, with no statistic difference. Significant differences in micronuclei were found among groups (Table). Table: 1436P
Distribution of nuclear abnormalities
| Nuclear abnormalities p <0.05* | Group A Patients w/o bullying N=8 | Group B Healthy w/o bullying N=8 | Group C Healthy w/ bullying N=12 | Group D* Patients w/ bullying N=11 | ||||
| M | SD | M | SD | M | SD | M | SD | |
| Binucleated | 1.38 | 1.50 | 1.63 | 1.84 | 2.83 | 2.72 | 4.64 | 3.35 |
| B. eggs | 5.88 | 4.82 | 2.63 | 2.97 | 3.58 | 4.29 | 7.09 | 7.07 |
| Karyolysis* | 24.63 | 18.15 | 17.63 | 17.99 | 9.17 | 15.47 | 25.18 | 17.67 |
| Karyorrhexis* | 18.75 | 15.34 | 7.88 | 8.42 | 5.92 | 5.55 | 20.45 | 12.37 |
| MNs* | 14.75 | 3.99 | 5.50 | 4.42 | 9.0 | 12.82 | 12.18 | 6.85 |
| NBUDs* | 0.88 | 1.12 | 0.38 | 0.51 | 1.17 | 1.33 | 3.91 | 4.23 |
| Pyknosis* | 12.75 | 8.06 | 9.50 | 8.66 | 5.0 | 7.67 | 13.64 | 9.88 |
| Total* | 79.0 | 34.79 | 45.13 | 38.68 | 36.67 | 34.02 | 87.07 | 44.48 |
Conclusions
Correlation between binucleated cells, NBUDs and bullying suggest the genotoxic effect of the latter. Findings open a new investigation line, to generate more information between abuse and genetic damage and enforce preventing strategies for both mental and physical health on childhood and adolescence.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Unviersidad Autonoma de Nuevo León.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.