Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype affects rectal cancer susceptibility due to alcohol consumption.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiologic studies have shown the association between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer, especially for rectal cancer. The alcohol related enzyme encoding gene ALDH2 has polymorphism Glu487Lys, and 487Lys allele is closely linked with phenotypic loss of enzyme activity.


METHODS
A hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 72 colon and 70 rectal cancer cases and 241 non-cancer controls to evaluate the alcohol consumption and ALDH2 Glu487Lys polymorphism. The logistic regression model was applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs).


RESULTS
The crude ORs for Glu/Lys and Lys/Lys genotype relative to Glu/Glu for colon and rectal cancer were not statistically significant. However, with the rectal cancer analysis, the ORs for high alcohol consumption were greater with 487Glu/Lys genotype compared with Glu/Glu, albeit not.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations suggested rectal cancer risk might be influenced by ALDH2 gene polymorphism. The prevention effect by alcohol reduction might differ by ALDH2 genotype.
Matsuo
Keitaro
K
Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.
Hamajima
Nobuyuki
N
Hirai
Takashi
T
Kato
Tomoyuki
T
Koike
Kouichi
K
Inoue
Manami
M
Takezaki
Toshiro
T
Tajima
Kazuo
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics
D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase