title: Microsomal epoxide hydrolase genotypes and the risk for head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of (pre)carcinogens in tobacco smoke. We investigated whether functional genetic polymorphisms in mEH may have a risk-modifying effect on head and neck carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood from 429 patients with oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal carcinoma and 419 healthy subjects was investigated for mEH polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Logistic regression analysis did not show differences in mEH genotype distributions between patients and controls, when categorized according to predicted mEH enzyme activity. Also no differences were found when evaluated according to tumor localization, sex, or tobacco consumption. A significantly higher incidence of the 139Arg/Arg variant was found in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma compared with controls (OR = 4.39, 95% CI = 1.45 to 13.35).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to earlier reports, we could not demonstrate a risk-modifying effect of genetic polymorphisms in mEH on head and neck carcinogenesis, except for the predicted high activity variant in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacko
authors.forename: Hennie M J
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Roelofs
authors.forename: Rene H M
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Te Morsche
authors.forename: Adri C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Voogd
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Oude Ophuis
authors.forename: Wilbert H M
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Johannes J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Manni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases