The incidence of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) was investigated in the lymphocyte chromosomes of betel chewing and non-chewing normal women, pregnant women, and women using oral contraceptives. The frequency of SCE was found to be 7.82 +/- 0.24 and 8.27 +/- 0.27 in non-chewing pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives respectively, which were significantly higher than the mean value of 5.21 +/- 0.18 observed in non-chewing normal women. Betel chewing induced higher SCE in pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives, the frequencies being 11.79 +/- 0.38 and 12.51 +/- 0.44, respectively, which were significantly higher than the SCE frequency of 6.28 +/- 0.21 found in normal betel chewing females.
PIP: Researchers observed the incidence of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in the lymphocyte chromosomes of 129 healthy adult females. They did this to learn the effect of chewing betel leaf, a carcinogenic substance which is widely chewed in India, on pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives (OCs). The 1st group of 71 nonchewers consisted of 20 controls, nonpregnant women who also did not use OCs; 24 pregnant women; and 27 women using OCs. 58 chewers divided into 16 controls, 19 pregnant women, and 23 OC users formed the 2nd group. Investigators found the frequency of SCE to be 7.82 + or - .24 and 8.27 + or - .27 in nonchewing pregnant women and women using OCs respectively. Both of these frequencies were significantly higher than the mean value of 5.21 + or - .18 noted in the nonchewing controls (p .001). Betel chewing caused higher SCE in pregnant women and women using OCs with frequencies of 11.79 + or - .38 and 12.51 + or - .44 respectively, which were significantly higher than 6.28 + or - .21 SCE frequency found in the controls (p .001). In addition, researchers found a significant correlation between the number of betel leaves chewed and the mean SCE frequency (r =.523, p .01). Based on these observations, it appears that the carcinogenic potential of betel is enhanced by the elevated hormonal profile in pregnant women and OC users. Epidemiologists need to conduct studies to determine if there is an increased likelihood of developing cancer in betel chewing pregnant women and OC users due to increased sensitivity of their lymphocytes to genetic damage compared with nonchewing pregnant women and OC users.