Microsatellite polymorphisms in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and the transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFA) gene and risk of oral cancer in Puerto Rico.
OBJECTIVE
Risks of oral cancer related to a CA microsatellite repeat polymorphism in intron 1 of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and a TaqI polymorphism in the transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFA) gene were evaluated in a population-based case-control study consisting of 157 cases and 149 controls recruited in Puerto Rico.


RESULTS
Carriers of > or = 16 CA repeats in EGFR showed a 1.9-fold increased risk for oral cancer (OR=1.9, 95% CI=1.0-3.5). Risks also tended to increase with decreasing number of alleles with > or = 16 CA repeats (P for trend=0.06). Our data suggested a non-significant reduction in risk for subjects heterozygous for the TGFA polymorphism (OR=0.6, 95% CI=0.2-1.3).


CONCLUSIONS
The EGFR-associated risk appeared to be independent of tobacco and alcohol use and may be restricted primarily to subjects who consumed low amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables (OR=5.9, 95%CI: 2.3-15.2). These data implicate dietary and molecular targets for oral cancer prevention.
Kang
Daehee
D
Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, SNUCM, Seoul, Korea. dhkang@snu.ac.kr
Gridley
Gloria
G
Huang
Wen-Yi
WY
Engel
Lawrence S
LS
Winn
Deborah M
DM
Brown
Linda M
LM
Bravo-Otero
Eleuterio
E
Wu
Tianxia
T
Diehl
Scott R
SR
Hayes
Richard B
RB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D018773:Genes, erbB-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D014675:Vegetables
D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha