Feasibility of Isolating P16 Expression

Expression of the cell cycle regulator p16INK4a increases with age and toxic stressors. In mice, both radiation and chemotherapy are known to increase p16. Due to its influence on age-related regenerative capacity, p16 is an excellent candidate biomarker of physiologic reserve that may identify patients able to withstand the stressor of chemotherapy (low p16) from those unlikely to tolerate chemotherapy (high p16). That is, expression of p16 may predict physiologic, rather than chronologic, age. Such findings could have implications for care of cancer survivors and treatment decision-making in cancer patients. STUDY OBJECTIVE: This is an observational pilot study to determine the feasibility of isolating p16INK4a in CD3+ T lymphocytes in adults treated with chemotherapy for cancer during childhood.