Young patients less than 45 years old suffering from multiple cancers but lacking typical risk factors were evaluated for genetic instability. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated and DNA repair capacity was investigated using alkaline microgel electrophoresis and compared to matched normal controls. While normal lymphocytes had an average DNA repair capacity of 95.3%, those isolated from cancer patients had 81.3% (p<0.01). While 10 patients with multiple cancer showed compatible repair capacity to healthy donors, 9 patients had a distinct reduced DNA repair capacity much lower than triple standard deviation. It must be assumed, that this subgroup of the cancer patients has a genetic background of reduced DNA repair capacity or processing and that development of multiple cancer may be due to genetic instability. These results will impact not only the developing of new diagnostic and screening strategies, but will also guide further research targeting the underlying mechanisms of DNA repair relating to cancer.

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