Relevance of glutathione S-transferase M1 and cytochrome P450 1A1 genetic polymorphisms to the development of head and neck cancers.

BACKGROUND: Cytochrome P450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene variants have been intensively investigated for their implication in the development of different neoplasms. METHODS: In the present study, we analyzed genetic polymorphisms of CYP1A1, GSTM1, GSTP1, and GSTT1 in 127 head and neck cancer patients and 151 hospital controls. RESULTS: No significant increase in risk in patients with the GSTM1 null genotype (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 0.93-2.49) or CYP1A1 462Val alleles (OR=1.60, 95% CI: 0.73-3.52) or GSTP1 105Val alleles (OR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.59-1.58) was observed. The GSTT1 null genotype was found in 30.5% of the controls and 21.3% of the head and neck cancer patients (p=0.15). The estimated head and neck cancer risk for the combination of either CYP1A1 Ile462Val or CYP1A1 Val462Val genotype with either GSTP1 Ile105Val or Val105Val genotype (OR=2.89, 95% CI: 0.71-11.71) and for the combination of either CYP1A1 Ile462Val or CYP1A1 Val462Val genotype with GSTT1 null genotype (OR=2.62, 95% CI: 0.64-10.85) suggested the absence of the modifying effect of combined variant alleles on head and neck cancer susceptibility. The joint effect of either CYP1A1 Ile462Val or CYP1A1 Val462Val genotype with GSTM1 null genotype significantly increased the risk of head and neck cancer (OR=7.15, 95% CI: 1.49-34.32). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings corroborate metabolic genes interactions, especially for CYP1A1 462Val alleles and GSTM1 homozygous deletion, in the development of head and neck cancer in the investigated population groups in Poland.