Abnormal sensitivity of diploid skin fibroblasts from a family with gardner's syndrome to the lethal effects of X-irradiation, ultraviolet light and mitomycin-C.

Skin fibroblasts isolated from two members of the same family with the cancer-prone disease Gardner' Syndrome (intestinal polyposis, colon cancer, bone and soft tissue tumors) showed enhanced sensitivity to the lethal effects of X-irradiation, ultraviolet light and mitomycin-C. These cells showed no liquid-holding type recovery following UV-irradiation of confluent cultures, but were normal in their capacity for UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis. UV survival was not influenced by post-irradaiation incubation with caffeine.