title: Association between transforming growth factor beta1 genetic polymorphism and response to chemoradiotherapy in head and neck squamous cell cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has diverse roles in cancer. Rate of production of the major isoform, TGF-beta1, is linked with rs1982073 single nucleotide polymorphism in TGFB1 gene signal sequence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood DNA of 175 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients were genotyped using real-time PCR and fluorescent probes. The median follow-up time was 2.9 years (range, 0.1-15.9 years). Survival was assessed using Cox regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 38 patients who had received chemoradiotherapy without surgical resection the high-producer TGFB1 genotypes CC and CT were associated with a better disease-free and overall survival when compared with the low-producer TT genotype (hazard ratios for interaction 3.42, 95% CI 1.12-10.5 and 3.09, 95% CI 0.96-10.0, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genetic polymorphism of the TGFB1 signal sequence is associated with the response to chemoradiotherapy. TGF-beta1 may sensitize cancer stem cells to chemoradiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: Mervi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pajusto
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: Antti A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mäkitie
authors.forename: Leena-Maija
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Aaltonen
authors.forename: Petri S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Mattila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1