The aims of our study were: (i) to find and validate a method for fast and reliable analysis of the D1853N (5557G}A) genetic polymorphism in the ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) gene; ii) to target mutagenesis to ATM exon 39 to receive control samples containing the 5557A allele in homozygous state; and (iii) to analyse a group of patients suffering from cervical carcinoma with adverse responses to radiotherapy. The 5557A variant was found in three of twenty women (16 %).
Our data show that the prevalence of the 5557A allelic variant in cervical cancer subjects with adverse responses after irradiation does not differ from the prevalence common in Caucasians.