Fig. 2

Radiosensitivity in healthy individuals and cancer patients of different age groups. Radiosensitivity, defined by chromosomal breaks per metaphase, in healthy individuals (a) and cancer patients (b) in dependence of age. A trend line was fitted and a Pearson correlation was performed (healthy individuals: r = 0.245, p < 0.01, cancer patients r = − 0.048, p < 0,343). 202 healthy individuals and 393 patients were divided into different groups by age: healthy individuals in groups with mean ages of 24, 32, 50, 61, 75 and patients in groups with mean ages of 32, 48, 59, 71, 82 years (c-f). 0.5 B/M (dashed line) and 0.6 B/M (solid line) are marked for increased and distinctly increased radiosensitivity. Healthy individuals (c), all cancer patients (d), the subgroup of rectal cancer patients (n = 203) (e) and breast cancer patients (n = 101) (f). Fraction of healthy individuals and cancer patients with equal or greater breaks per metaphase than 0.5 B/M or 0.6 B/M (g). P-values ≤0.05 are marked with one asterisk, P-values ≤0.01 are marked with two asterisks and P-values ≤0.001 are marked with three asterisks