BRAF polymorphisms and the risk of ovarian cancer of low malignant potential.
OBJECTIVE
The object of this study was to test the hypothesis that BRAF is a low-risk susceptibility gene for low malignant potential (LMP) ovarian cancer. A recent study of the relationship between BRAF polymorphisms and malignant melanoma identified strong linkage disequilibrium across the BRAF gene with one of the three most common haplotypes (haplotype C) having a population attributable risk of approximately 1.6%. We therefore hypothesized that the same BRAF haplotype may confer an increased risk of serous ovarian tumors of low malignant potential.


METHODS
We genotyped 383 cases of LMP ovarian cancer, including 234 of serous histology, and 987 controls for seven SNPs, representative of the most common BRAF gene haplotypes, using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.


RESULTS
Haplotype information was obtained for 369 LMP ovarian cancer cases and 983 healthy controls. None of the haplotypes were found to be associated with risk of LMP ovarian cancer (OR for haplotype C 0.81, 95% CI = 0.54-1.22), or with the risk of serous LMP ovarian cancer (OR for haplotype C 0.90, 95% CI = 0.56-1.45).


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence to suggest that BRAF is a low-risk LMP ovarian cancer susceptibility gene.
Kelemen
Livia
L
Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
James
Michael
M
Spurdle
Amanda
A
Campbell
Ian
I
Chang-Claude
Jenny
J
Peel
David
D
Anton-Culver
Hoda
H
Berchuck
Andrew
A
Schildkraut
Joellen
J
Whittemore
Alice
A
McGurie
Valerie
V
DiCioccio
Richard A
RA
Duffy
David
D
Chenevix-Trench
Georgia
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*
C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf