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Fanconi anemia secondary prevention

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shyam Patel [2]

Overview

There are two major methods of secondary prevention in Fanconi anemia. These involve reducing the risk of development of secondary malignancies.

Secondary prevention

There are two major methods of secondary prevention in Fanconi anemia. These involve reducing the risk of development of secondary malignancies, such as acute myeloid leukemia.

  • Avoidance of radiation: Radiation can induce DNA damage in cells, and radiation can serve as a second-hit to a cell that is already predisposed to malignant transformation due to DNA repair defects. Patients with Fanconi anemia are advised to avoid radiation. This includes radiation for treatment of other conditions, such as lymphoma or breast cancer.
  • Avoidance of chemicals: Chemicals and carcinogens are induce cancer readily in patients with Fanconi anemia. If a patients with Fanconi anemia has another malignancy, caution should be exercised when determining the chemotherapeutic regimen, since this chemotherapy can cause cancer.[1][2]


References

  1. Romick-Rosendale LE, Lui VW, Grandis JR, Wells SI (2013). “The Fanconi anemia pathway: repairing the link between DNA damage and squamous cell carcinoma”. Mutat Res. 743-744: 78–88. doi:10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2013.01.001. PMC 3661751. PMID 23333482.
  2. Lombardi AJ, Hoskins EE, Foglesong GD, Wikenheiser-Brokamp KA, Wiesmüller L, Hanenberg H; et al. (2015). “Acquisition of Relative Interstrand Crosslinker Resistance and PARP Inhibitor Sensitivity in Fanconi Anemia Head and Neck Cancers”. Clin Cancer Res. 21 (8): 1962–72. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-2616. PMC 4401632. PMID 25609062.

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