title: The interleukin-18 -607A/C polymorphism is not associated with risk for oral cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of angiogenesis-inhibitor interleukin-18 (IL-18) with risk for oral cancer, with regard to the recently found contribution of cytokines to carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The -607A/C polymorphism in the promoter region of the IL-18 gene, which affects transcription, was studied in 149 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 89 matched healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The detected carrier and allele frequencies of the low transcription A allele were not significantly different in patients in comparison with controls (63.1% versus 60.7%, p = 0.78 and 40.9% versus 42.7%, p = 0.77, respectively). The same non-significant pattern was observed in subgroups of patients regarding cancer stage, family history of cancer or thrombosis, as well as smoking or heavy drinking habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the known inhibitory effect of IL-18 in angiogenesis, IL-18 gene expression is not a contributing factor in oral oncogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, "Attikon" Hospital, Rimini 1, GR-12462, Greece. lvairakt@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vairaktaris
authors.forename: Zoe Charalambus
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Serefoglou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yapijakis
authors.forename: Chatzitheofylaktou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agapi
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vassiliou
authors.forename: Emeka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nkenke
authors.forename: Vylliotis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Antonis
authors.forename: Spyridonidou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: Friedrich Wilhelm
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Neukam
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patsouris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18