Genetic polymorphisms in head and neck cancer risk.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether genetic polymorphisms implicated as risk factors for other tobacco-associated malignancies are associated with altered risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
One hundred sixty patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma recruited from a university-based head and neck oncology clinic and 149 population-based controls.


METHODS
Genotyping of the CYP1A1 (Ile462Val), GSTM1 (null), GSTP1 (Ile105Val), GSTT1 (null), and P53 (Arg72Pro) genes was performed by polymerase chain reaction-based techniques on DNA prepared from peripheral blood. In addition, a questionnaire was used to collect demographic information from each subject.


RESULTS
Cases were significantly older (p <.0001) and had significantly greater tobacco use (p <.0001) and were more likely to be male (p <.0001) than were control subjects, thus confirming known risk factors for this disease. When cases and controls were compared by simple chi-square analysis, only the frequency of CYP1A1 (Ile462Val) polymorphism was significantly different between cases and controls (OR =.42; 95% CI =.18-.99; p <.04). However, with a logistic regression model to control for known risk factors, we were unable to demonstrate a significant association with head and neck cancer for any of the polymorphisms tested, including CYP1A1.


CONCLUSIONS
This population fails to identify a relationship between the above-mentioned polymorphisms and head and neck cancer.
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Mail Code L586, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA.
J E
JE
McWilliams
A J
AJ
Evans
T M
TM
Beer
P E
PE
Andersen
J I
JI
Cohen
E C
EC
Everts
W D
WD
Henner
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D007527:Isoenzymes; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1; C496556:GSTP1 protein, human