title: PTGS2 (COX-2) -765 G > C functional promoter polymorphism and its association with risk and lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins that has been shown to have a particular importance in the progression of several malignancies including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In the current report, we designed a case-controlled study to evaluate the susceptibility and prognostic implications of the functional -765 G > C genetic variation in NPC. A PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the polymorphism in a Tunisian population of patients with NPC (n = 180) and in healthy control subjects (n = 169). A higher risk for NPC was observed for carriers of COX-2 -765 C allele (OR = 1.76; P = 0.01). This association remains significant after adjustments for age and sex (OR = 1.89; P = 0.008). Regarding prognostic indicators, a significant association was found between -765 C allele carriers and the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.28; P = 0.01), as well as, with tumor stage (OR = 2.73; P = 0.03). This is the first report on the studies of COX-2 SNPs in NPC and our data suggest that this genetic variant may play a role in mediating susceptibility to NPC, as well as, in neoplastic progression, a finding which further supports the involvement of COX-2 in NPC etiology.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Monastir, 5019, Tunisia. helabn@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Hela
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Nasr
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chahed
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouaouina
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chouchane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011379:Prognosis; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2