Functional polymorphisms in the insulin-like binding protein-3 gene may modulate susceptibility to differentiated thyroid carcinoma in Caucasian Americans

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway is believed to play a pivotal role in thyroid carcinogenesis. Polymorphisms of IGF-1 and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) have been associated with modulation of risk for the emergence of assorted common malignancies, but studies of the influence of such polymorphisms on risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) are lacking. In a case-control study of 173 DTC patients, 101 patients with benign thyroid disease, and 401 controls, an unconditional logistical regression model adjusted for age and sex was applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between polymorphisms of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 and DTC risk. IGFBP-3 rs2132572 GA/AA genotypes were associated with a decreased risk of DTC (adjusted OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9), particularly multifocal DTC (adjusted OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7). The association with DTC was more evident in subjects with a first-degree family history of cancer (adjusted OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.7, P(interaction) = 0.013) and non-drinkers (adjusted OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.7, P(interaction) = 0.028). A four single nucleotide polymorphism haplotype of IGFBP-3 was associated with a decreased risk of DTC (adjusted OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-1.0, P = 0.030). Our study suggests that polymorphic IGFBP-3 may be involved in susceptibility to DTC.     

Association of rs1042522 Polymorphism with Increased Risk of Prostate Adenocarcinoma in the Pakistani Population and its HuGE Review

Prostate adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer related mortality in men but still limitedknowledge is available about its associated functional SNPs including rs1042522 (Pro72Arg). The present studywas undertaken to explore the association of this SNP with susceptibility to prostate adenocarcinoma along withits structural and functional impacts in the Pakistani population in a case-control study. Three-dimensionalstructure of human TP53 with Pro72Arg polymorphism was predicted through homology modeling, refined andvalidated for detailed structure-based assessment. We also carried out a HuGE review of the previous availabledata for this polymorphism. Different genetic models were used to evaluate the genotypes association with theincreased risk of PCa (Allelic contrast: OR=0.0.34, 95%CI 0.24-0.50, p=0.000; GG vs CC: OR=0.17, 95%CI0.08-0.38, p=0.000; Homozygous: OR=0.08, 95%CI 0.04-0.15, p=0.000; GC vs CC: OR=2.14, 95%CI 1.01-4.51,p=0.046; Recessive model: OR=0.10, 95%CI 0.05-0.18, p=0.000; Log Additive: OR=3.54, 95%CI 2.13-5.89,p=0.000) except the Dominant model (OR=0.77, 95%CI 0.39-1.52, p=0.46). Structure and functional analysisrevealed that the SNP in the proline rich domain is responsible for interaction with HRMT1L2 and WWOX.In conclusion, it was observed that the Arg coding G allele is highly associated with increased risk of prostateadenocarcinoma in the Pakistani population (p=0.000).     

Single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 133 of the RASSF1 gene is preferentially associated with human lung adenocarcinoma risk

The RASSF1 gene, a putative tumor suppressor gene located on human chromosome 3p21, garners much attention for the frequent allelic loss and gene silencing via promoter hypermethylation in a variety of human malignancies. An association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 133 of the RASSF1 gene, encoding either alanine (GCT) or serine (TCT), and human cancer risk remains undefined. We therefore, investigated the distribution of the Ala133Ser SNP in 101 patients with lung cancer, 63 with head and neck cancer, 72 with colorectal cancer, 56 with esophageal cancer and 110 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme-digestion assay. The heterozygous Ala/Ser genotype was significantly more frequent in lung cancer patients than in healthy controls (P=0.028). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the patients with heterozygous Ala/Ser genotype as compared with the controls with the Ala/Ala genotype was 2.59 (95% confidence interval (CI); 1.11-6.04). The increased risk of the Ala/Ser genotype was found in lung cancer patients but not in other cancer patients we examined. The association was particularly strong in those lung cancer patients of male (adjusted OR; 3.33, 95% CI; 1.37-8.12), with adenocarcinoma (adjusted OR; 3.33, 95% CI; 1.36-8.15), early stages (adjusted OR; 3.42, 95% CI; 1.33-8.75) and with smoking habit (adjusted OR; 2.70, 95% CI; 1.06-6.83). These results suggest that the RASSF1 Ala133Ser SNP is associated with development of lung cancer, especially of lung adenocarcinoma. The increased risk of the heterozygous genotype is intriguing, implying a close relation with the dimerization feature of RASSF1 proteins.     

p53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and risk of colorectal adenoma and cancer

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72 of the p53 gene (Arg72Pro) alters the p53 protein structure and affects its activity. We investigated this SNP in relation to colorectal adenoma and cancer among men and women from case-control studies nested within the Nurses' Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Physicians' Health Study. Among 856 colorectal adenoma cases and 1,184 controls, we observed a modest association with p53 Arg72Pro genotype (multivariate odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.50 for Arg/Pro and Pro/Pro vs. Arg/Arg). This association did not vary by colorectal site or by sex. Among 442 colorectal cancer cases and 904 controls, we observed no significant overall association between p53 Arg72Pro genotype and colorectal cancer (multivariate OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.90-1.45). However, when colorectal site and sex was accounted for, the Pro carrier genotypes compared to Arg/Arg were associated with an increased risk of proximal colon cancers in women (multivariate OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.49-4.52) though not with distal colon or rectal cancers, while among men the same genotypes were associated with an increased risk of distal colon cancers (multivariate OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.28-3.40) but not proximal colon or rectal cancers. Our results suggest that Arg72Pro may play a role in the early stages of colorectal neoplasia and possibly in progression to invasive disease, depending on site and sex.     

Family history of cancer and risk of sporadic differentiated thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND:

Thyroid cancer incidence in the United States, particularly in women, has increased dramatically since the 1980s. Although the causes of thyroid cancer in most patients remain largely unknown, evidence suggests the existence of an inherited predisposition to development of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Therefore, the authors explored the association between sporadic DTC and family history of cancer.

METHODS:

In a retrospective hospital‐based case‐control study of prospectively recruited subjects who completed the study questionnaire upon enrollment, unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as estimates of the DTC risk associated with first‐degree family history of cancer.

RESULTS:

The study included 288 patients with sporadic DTC and 591 cancer‐free controls. Family history of thyroid cancer in first‐degree relatives was associated with increased DTC risk (adjusted OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.7‐9.9). All DTC cases in patients with a first‐degree family history of thyroid cancer were cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) (adjusted OR, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.9‐11.1). Notably, the risk of PTC was highest in subjects with a family history of thyroid cancer in siblings (OR, 7.4; 95% CI, 1.8‐30.4). In addition, multifocal primary tumor was more common among PTC patients with first‐degree family history of thyroid cancer than among PTC patients with no first‐degree family history of thyroid cancer (68.8% vs 35.5%, P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS:

The study suggests that family history of thyroid cancer in first‐degree relatives, particularly in siblings, is associated with an increased risk of sporadic PTC. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.     

Intronic Polymorphisms of the SMAD7 Gene in Association with Colorectal Cancer

Based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) a linkage between several variants such as single nucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs) in intron 3 of SMAD7 (mothers against decapentaplegic homolog7) were, rs12953717,rs4464148 and rs4939827 has been noted for susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study we investigatedthe relationship of rs12953717 and rs4464148 with risk of CRC among 487 Iranian individuals based on a casecontrolstudy. Genotyping of SNPs was performed by PCR-RFLP and for confirming the outcomes, 10% ofgenotyping cases were sequenced with RFLP. Comparing the case and control group, we have found significantassociation between the rs4464148 SNP and lower risk of CRC. The AG genotype showed decreased risk withand odds ratio of 0.635 (adjusted OR=0.635, 95% CI: 0.417-0.967, p=0.034). There was no significant differencein the distribution of SMAD7 gene rs12953717 TT genotype between two groups of the population evaluated(adjusted OR=1.604, 95% CI: 0.978-2.633, p=0.061). On the other hand, rs12953717 T allele showed a statisticallysignificant association with CRC risk (adjusted OR=1.339, 95% CI: 1.017-1.764, p=0.037). In conclusion, wefound a significant association between CRC risk and the rs4464148 AG genotype. Furthermore, the rs12953717T allele may act as a risk factor. This association may be caused by alternative splicing of pre mRNA. Althoughwe observed a strong association with rs4464148 GG genotype in affected women, we did not detect the sameassociation in CRC male patients.     

The MDM2 SNP309T>G Polymorphism Increases Bladder Cancer Risk among Caucasians: a Meta-analysis

Published studies have evaluated associations between the MDM2 SNP309T>G polymorphism and bladder cancer susceptibility. However, these generated inconsistent results. The aim of the present investigation was to quantify the strength of association between MDM2 SNP309T>G polymorphism and bladder cancer risk by conducting a meta-analysis. We searched PubMed and Embase for related studies that had been published in English before April 1, 2014 and associations were assessed by summarizing the odds ratios (ORs) with thecorresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Five case-control studies with a total of 972 cases and 1,012 controls were finally identified to be eligible for the meta-analysis. Overall, the results indicated that there was no significant association between the MDM2 SNP309T>G polymorphism and bladder cancer risk (for the allele model G vs. T: OR=1.08, 95% CI 0.85-1.36, p=0.54; for the co-dominant model GG vs. TT: OR=1.20, 95% CI 0.74-1.93, p=0.46; for the dominant model GG+GT vs. TT: OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.80-1.20, p=0.83; for the recessive model GG vs. GT+TT: OR=1.20, 95% CI 0.83-1.74, p=0.33). However, on subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significant associations were found in Caucasians in three models (for the allele model G vs. T: OR=1.41, 95% CI 1.10-1.81, p=0.006; for the co-dominant model GG vs. TT: OR=2.16, 95% CI 1.28-3.63, p=0.004; for therecessive model GG vs. GT+TT: OR=2.06, 95% CI 1.31-3.22, p=0.002). In summary, the present meta-analysis provides evidence that the genotype for the MDM2 SNP309T>G polymorphism may be associated with genetic susceptibility to bladder cancer among Caucasians.     

TPO genetic variants and risk of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in two European populations

Thyroid cancer risk involves the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The thyroperoxidase (TPO) has a key role in the iodine metabolism, being essential for the thyroid function. Mutations in the TPO gene are common in congenital hypothyroidism, and there are also signs of the implication of TPO in thyroid cancer. We performed a case–control association study of genetic variants in TPO and differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in 1,586 DTC patients and 1,769 controls including two European populations (Italy: 1,190 DTC and 1,290 controls; Spain: 396 DTC and 479 controls). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed separately for each population and each single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). From the three studied polymorphisms, significant associations were detected between DTC and rs2048722 and rs732609 in both populations (p < 0.05). In the Italian population, both SNPs showed a negative association (rs2048722, odds ratio [OR] = 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.63–1.00, p = 0.045; rs732609, OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55–0.94, p = 0.016), whereas in the Spanish population, these SNPs showed a positive association (rs2048722, OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.03–1.89, p = 0.033; rs732609, OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.06–1.87, p = 0.018). The corresponding associations for papillary or follicular thyroid cancer were similar to those for all DTC, within population. No association was detected for the third TPO polymorphism in the Italian and the Spanish populations. Our results, for the first time, point to TPO as a gene involved in the risk of DTC, and suggest the importance of interactions between TPO variants and other unidentified population‐specific factors in determining thyroid cancer risk.     

Association of a p53 Codon 72 Gene Polymorphism with Environmental Factors and Risk of Lung Cancer: a Case Control Study in Mizoram and Manipur,a High Incidence Region in North East India

Background: A very high incidence of lung cancer is observed in Mizoram and Manipur, North East India.We conducted a population based case control study to establish associations of p53 codon 72 polymorphisms andinteractions with environmental factors for this high incidence. Material and Methods: A total of 272 lung cancercases and 544 controls matched for age (±5 years), sex and ethnicity were collected and p53 codon 72 polymorphismgenotypes were analyzed using a polymerase chain based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Weused conditional multiple logistic regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidenceintervals after adjusting for confounding factors. Results: p53 Pro/Pro genotype was significantly associated withincreased risk of lung cancer in the study population (adjusted OR=2.14, CI=1.35-3.38, p=0.001). Interactionsof the p53 Pro/Pro genotype with exposure to wood smoke (adjusted OR=3.60, CI=1.85-6.98, p<0.001) andcooking oil fumes (adjusted OR=3.27, CI=1.55-6.87, p=0.002), betel quid chewing (adjusted OR=3.85, CI=1.96-7.55, p<0.001), tobacco smoking (adjusted OR=4.42, CI=2.27-8.63, p<0.001) and alcohol consumption (adjustedOR=3.31, CI=1.10-10.03, p=0.034) were significant regarding the increased risk of lung cancer in the studypopulation. Conclusions: The present study provided preliminary evidence that a p53 codon 72 polymorphismmay effect lung cancer risk in the study population, interacting synergistically with environmental factors.     

Proline homozygosity in codon 72 of p53: a risk genotype for human papillomavirus related cervical cancer in Indian women

The objective of the present study was to determine the codon 72 genotypic frequencies of p53 in Indian women and to analyze the association of this polymorphism with human papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical cancer (CaCx). We used tissues derived from 55 women diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (of whom 46 were HPV types 16/18 positive) and cervical scrapes derived from 201 cytologically normal women (of whom 84 were HPV types 16/18 positive) as controls. The DNA isolated from these samples was genotyped for p53 polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The genotypic frequency of homozygous arginine among women with CaCx was 27% and this did not differ with the controls. But, proline homozygosity of 33% in the malignant samples was significantly higher than controls (OR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.14-4.35; P=0.02). The associated risk of this genotype towards CaCx was more prominent (OR=2.67; 95% CI: 1.16-6.15; P=0.02) when analysis was restricted to HPV 16/18 positive women. Thus, proline homozygosity at codon 72 of p53 and not arginine homozygosity, could be a risk factor for development of CaCx associated with high risk HPV among Indian women.     

P53 codon 72 polymorphism and risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population

The p53 gene plays an important role in cell cycle control in response to DNA damage, which may increase the probability of mutations that lead to carcinogenesis. The p53 codon 72 Arg right curved arrow Pro polymorphism has been suggested to be associated with risk for different kind of cancers, but the data on gastric cancer (GC) is very limited. To evaluate the association between this polymorphism and risk of GC, we performed genotype analysis by using a polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay in a population-based case-control study of 324 GC patients and 317 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population. The controls were frequency-matched to the cases by age, sex and smoking status. The frequency of the p53 Arg allele was 57.4% in the cases and 54.9% in the controls, and the genotype frequencies of p53 Arg/Arg, Arg/Pro, and Pro/Pro were 29.6%, 55.6%, and 14.8%, respectively, in the cases, and 29.6%, 50.5%, and 19.9%, respectively, in the controls (p=0.207). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the p53 Arg allele (Arg/Pro and Arg/Arg genotype) was associated with a borderline significantly increased risk of gastric cancer (adjusted OR=1.44, 95% CI=0.95-2.18), particularly non-cardia gastric cancer (adjusted OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.00-2.77), compared with p53 homozygous Pro allele (Pro/Pro genotype), and the risk was significantly more evident among alcohol drinkers (adjusted OR=2.85, 95% CI=1.37-5.95). While the results suggest that the p53 codon 72 polymorphism may contribute to gastric cancer susceptibility, further larger studies are needed to substantiate our findings and to explore a possible interaction between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and alcohol in the etiology of gastric cancer.     

p21cip1和p27kip1基因遗传多态与食管癌及贲门癌发病风险的关联

背景与目的：有研究表明p21^cip1和p27^kip1的基因多态性与乳腺癌、肺癌、前列腺癌等肿瘤易感性有关。本研究分析中国北方高发区人群食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）和贲门腺癌（GCA）与勺p21^cip1和p27^kip1基因多态性之间的关系。方法：应用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性（PCR—RFLP）方法检测299例ESCC患者、256例GCA患者及437名健康对照人群p21^cip1 3’非翻译区和p27^kip1第109位密码子基因多态性分布情况。结果：ESCC患者组p21^cip1 T等位基因型频率（42．8％）显著高于健康对照组（36．7％）（P=0．02）,ESCC和GCA患者组p27^kip1等位基因型频率（分别为96．8％和96．1％）均显著高于健康对照组（92．9％）（P值分别为0．00和0．02）。ESCC患者组p21^cip1基因型频率分布与健康对照组相比有显著性差异（P=0．04）,与C／C和C／T基因型相比,T／T基因型可显著增加ESCC的发病风险（校正OR=1．93,95％CI=1．12～3．94）ESCC和GCA患者细p27^kip1基因型频率分布与健康对照组相比均有显著性差异（P分别为0．00和0．01）,与V／G和G／G基因型相比,V／V基因型可显著增加ESCC和GCA的发病风险（校正OR分别为2．44和2．01,95％CI分别为1．2l～4．02和1.12～3．68）。当按吸烟和上消化道肿瘤家族史状况进行分层分析时发现,与V／G和G／G基因型相比,V／V基因型可显著增加吸烟人群患ESCC和GCA（校正OR分别为2．24和2．61,95％C1分别为1.14～4．03和1．25～3．82）以及有家族史人群患ESCC的发病风险（校正OR=2．04,95%CI=1．04～3．43）．两基因联合分析显示,携带p21^cip1T／T和p27^kip1V／V基因型可显著增加患食管癌和贲门癌的发病风险（校正OR分别为3．78和2．56,95?分别为1．46～5．89和1．06～4．78）。结论：在中国北方人群中,p21^cip1基因多态性可能与食管癌的易感性有关,p27^kip1基因多态性可能与食管癌和贲门癌的易感性有关．而且这两个基因的多念性可能存食管癌和贲门癌发病中起联合作用．     

XPC polymorphisms and lung cancer risk

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may be associated with differences in the capacity to repair DNA damage and thereby influence an individual's susceptibility to smoking-related cancer. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the potential association of 7 XPC polymorphisms (-449G-->C, -371G-->A, -27G-->C, Val499Arg, PAT-/+, IVS11-5C-->A and Lys939Gln) and their haplotypes with lung cancer risk in a Korean population. XPC genotypes were determined in 432 lung cancer patients and 432 healthy controls frequency-matched for age and sex. XPC haplotypes were predicted using a Bayesian algorithm in the Phase program. The combined -27CG+CC genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk for overall lung cancer compared to the -27GG genotype (adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.22-3.17, p = 0.005). The other 6 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with overall risk of lung cancer. When lung cancer cases were categorized by tumor histology, the -371AA genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma compared to the combined -371GG and GA genotype (adjusted OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.09-4.00, p = 0.03). The PAT-/+, IVS11-5C-->A and Lys939Gln polymorphisms were associated with a significantly decreased risk of small cell carcinoma (SM) under a dominant model for the polymorphic allele (adjusted OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.29-0.82, p = 0.006; adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.36-1.00, p = 0.05; and adjusted OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.97, p = 0.04, respectively). Consistent with genotyping analyses, haplotype 4 (1112222) containing the PAT+/IVS11-5A/939Gln alleles was associated with a significantly decreased risk of SM (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.37-0.85, p = 0.007 and Bonferroni-corrected p = 0.049), whereas haplotype 5 (1122111) containing the -27C allele was associated with a significantly increased risk of SM (adjusted OR = 2.88, 95% CI 1.41-5.87, p = 0.004 and Bonferroni-corrected p = 0.028). These results suggest that XPC polymorphisms/haplotypes may contribute to genetic susceptibility for lung cancer.     

Polymorphism of XRCC1 and the frequency of mutation in codon 249 of the p53 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma among Guangxi population, China

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hotspot mutation in codon 249 of the p53 gene has been associated with exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). While the polymorphism of DNA repair gene X-ray repair cross-complementary group 1 (XRCC1) Arg399Gln may be related with AFB1-DNA adducts and gene mutations. Five hundred one HCCs were included in this study to investigate the role of the XRCC1 codon 399 polymorphism on hotspot mutation in codon 249 of the p53 gene. The genotypes of XRCC1 codon 399 and p53 codon 249 were examined by PCR-RFLP. The HCC patients with XRCC1 genotypes with 399 Gln (namely: XRCC1-AG/GG) exhibited a significantly higher frequency of the p53 hotspot mutations in codon 249 than those with the wild-type homozygote of XRCC1 [namely: XRCC1-AA, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 6.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.34-10.57]. Compared with those individuals who did express XRCC1-AA as reference (OR = 1), moreover, individuals featuring XRCC1-AG/GG and AFB1-DNA adducts did experience a significantly greater frequency of the hotspot mutation in codon 249 of the p53 gene (adjusted OR = 28.37, 95% CI = 13.19-61.02, P < 0.01). This study suggests that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and AFB1-DNA adducts are associated with the increased frequency of the p53 mutations in codon 249.     

Prostate stem-cell antigen gene is associated with diffuse and intestinal gastric cancer in Caucasians: results from the EPIC-EURGAST study

A genome-wide study performed in a Japanese population identified a strong association between SNP rs2294008 (Met1Thr) in the Prostate Stem Cell Antigen gene (PSCA) and diffuse-type gastric cancer (GC). This association was validated in different Asian populations, and, very recently, a study has been published in Caucasians. In this study, we analyzed the association between PSCA variation and GC risk in Caucasians from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Six tagSNPs covering the PSCA gene region were genotyped in 411 incident gastric adenocarcinoma cases and 1530 matched controls from a nested case-control study in the EPIC cohort. Associations were analyzed by unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex and country. The T allele of rs2294008 in PSCA was found to be a highly significant risk factor for GC (per allele OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.23-1.66, p-value = 6.5 × 10(-6) ), particularly of the noncardia-type (per allele OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.19-1.81, p-value = 3 × 10(-4) ). At contrast with previous studies, no significant differences were observed between the diffuse (per allele OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.20-1.96, p-value = 5 × 10(-4) ) and the intestinal (per allele OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.20-1.93, p-value = 5 × 10(-4) ) GC histological subtypes. Although rs12155758 and rs9297976 were also found associated with GC, this association appeared to be due to linkage disequilibrium with rs2294008. Haplotype analysis did not provide additional information. These results confirm the association between variation in the promoter region of PSCA and GC risk in Caucasians and also indicate that the rs2294008 variant is a similar risk factor for both the diffuse and intestinal-types of GC.     

Clinically significant prognostic factors for differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a population-based, nested case-control study

BACKGROUND: Different scoring systems currently are being used to stratify patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) into risk groups. DTC is usually subdivided into papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC). The objective of the current study was to identify those factors that predict long-term unfavorable prognosis and to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the TNM staging system. METHODS: The authors conducted a nested case-control study within the cohort of all patients (n=5123) diagnosed with DTC in Sweden between 1958-1987 who survived at least 1 year after diagnosis. One control, matched by age at diagnosis, gender, and calendar period, was randomly selected for each case (patients who died of DTC). All patients were classified at the time of diagnosis according to the TNM staging system. The effect of prognostic factors on DTC mortality was evaluated using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Patients with widely invasive FTC experienced a significantly higher mortality compared with PTC patients. The grade of differentiation was found to influence mortality significantly. Patients with TNM Stage IV disease had a higher mortality rate compared with patients with Stage II disease (odds ratio [OR]=9.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 5.7-14.6). Patients with lymph node metastases experienced a higher mortality (OR=2.5; 95% CI, 1.6-4.1) and patients with distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis were found to have a nearly 7-fold higher mortality rate (OR=6.6; 95% CI, 4.1-10.5). Incomplete surgical excision was associated with higher mortality, particularly in patients with Stage I disease. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, the following were found to be clinically significant prognostic factors for patients with DTC: histopathologic subgroup, TNM staging including lymph node metastases and distant metastases, and completeness of the surgical excision.     

-93G-->A polymorphism of hMLH1 and risk of primary lung cancer

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may be associated with differences in the repair capacity of DNA damage and may thereby influence an individual's susceptibility to smoking-related cancer. We investigated the association between the -93G-->A polymorphism in the hMLH1 gene and the risk of lung cancer in a Korean population. The hMLH1 -93G-->A polymorphism was typed in 372 lung cancer patients and 371 healthy controls that were frequency-matched for age and sex. There was no significant association between the hMLH1 -93G-->A genotype and the risk for adenocarcinoma or small cell carcinoma. However, the AA genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma compared with both the GG genotype (adjusted OR=2.02; 95% CI=1.15-3.55; p=0.014) and the combined GG and GA genotype (adjusted OR=1.83; 95% CI=1.24-2.71; p=0.003). When the subjects were stratified by smoking exposure, the AA genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma in lighter smokers (< or = 39 pack-years; adjusted OR=1.95; 95% CI=1.03-3.66; p=0.039) compared with the combined GG and GA genotype, whereas there was no significant association in heavier smokers (> 39 pack-years; adjusted OR=1.47; 95% CI=0.82-2.61). These results suggest that the hMLH1 -93G-->A polymorphism could be used as a marker of genetic susceptibility to squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.     

Risk of thyroid cancer and high prevalence of hepatitis C virus

Some studies report an increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease in hepatitis C and B as well as in interferon therapy. Recently a new link between HCV and papillary thyroid cancer has been published. The mechanism responsible for the oncogenetic role of HCV is not well understood, but it involves immunity system and autoimmunity disorders. We designed a case-control study on HCV exposure. To assess the positivity to HCV ELISA test and polymerize chain reaction technique (PCR) were used. For statistical analysis an odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed using unconditional multiple-logistic-regression models. Our findings show a statistically significant association between HCV and papillary thyroid cancer (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.5-7.4, p=0.003), overall in female gender (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.2-8.7, p=0.01) and in the > or =50 years age category the risk for thyroid cancer was confirmed by the OR = 3.2 (95% CI 1.3-7.9, p=0.01). Based on our study there is an association between HCV and thyroid cancer and it is more readily detectable in countries with a high prevalence of HCV.     

Association study of prostate cancer susceptibility variants with risks of invasive ovarian, breast, and colorectal cancer

Several prostate cancer susceptibility loci have recently been identified by genome-wide association studies. These loci are candidates for susceptibility to other epithelial cancers. The aim of this study was to test these tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) for association with invasive ovarian, colorectal, and breast cancer. Twelve prostate cancer-associated tag SNPs were genotyped in ovarian (2,087 cases/3,491 controls), colorectal (2,148 cases/2,265 controls) and breast (first set, 4,339 cases/4,552 controls; second set, 3,800 cases/3,995 controls) case-control studies. The primary test of association was a comparison of genotype frequencies between cases and controls, and a test for trend stratified by study where appropriate. Genotype-specific odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression. SNP rs2660753 (chromosome 3p12) showed evidence of association with ovarian cancer [per minor allele OR, 1.19; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.04-1.37; P(trend) = 0.012]. This association was stronger for the serous histologic subtype (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.09-1.53; P = 0.003). SNP rs7931342 (chromosome 11q13) showed some evidence of association with breast cancer (per minor allele OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99; P(trend) = 0.028). This association was somewhat stronger for estrogen receptor-positive tumors (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87-0.98; P = 0.011). None of these tag SNPs were associated with risk of colorectal cancer. In conclusion, loci associated with risk of prostate cancer may also be associated with ovarian and breast cancer susceptibility. However, the effects are modest and warrant replication in larger studies.     

p53 polymorphism and p21WAF1/CIP1 haplotype in the intestinal gastric cancer and the precancerous lesions

The development of intestinal gastric carcinoma involves several precancerous stages. The environmental factor plays an important role in gastric carcinogenesis, while the host's genetic makeup may influence the susceptibility to cancer. In this study we investigated correlations of the p53 variations at codon 72 and p21(WAF1/CIP1) haplotype with the risk of intestinal gastric carcinoma. Forty-eight intestinal gastric carcinoma cases (GC), 96 chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 96 intestinal metaplasia (IM) and 96 dysplasia (DYS) controls were enrolled in this study. The p53 codon 72 proline allele carriers were found to be more susceptible to progress to GC than to IM (OR = 2.22, 95%CI = 1.05-4.70, P = 0.038). Patients carrying homozygous p21(WAF1/CIP1) haplotype A, which contains the serine at codon 31, the cytidine at the 16th base of the second intron, and the cytidine at the 70th base of the exon 3 were more prone to develop GC than to reach the IM or DYS stage (IM versus GC, OR = 3.35, 95%CI = 1.11-10.15; DYS versus GC, OR = 3.27, 95%CI = 1.09-9.80, P = 0.035). The combination of p53 codon 72 variation with the p21(WAF1/CIP1) haplotype further distinguished the risk of GC from IM precancerous lesion (OR = 9.31, 95% CI = 1.77-48.85, P = 0.08). These results suggest that p53 and/or p21(WAF1/CIP1) genotype may influence the progression during gastric tumorigenesis.