title: Epidermal growth factor +61 G/A polymorphism and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in a Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays an important role in tumorigenesis. The association between EGF +61 G/A polymorphism and the risk of HCC is still controversial and ambiguous.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the association between EGF +61 G/A polymorphism and the risk of HCC in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital-based case-control study was designed in a Chinese population. EGF +61 G/A polymorphisms were determined in 120 chronic HBV-infected HCC patients, 120 chronic HBV-infected cirrhotic patients, and 120 healthy controls. The genotype frequency of this polymorphism was determined by using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGF +61 GG (odds ratio=2.76, 95% confidence interval=1.03, 7.38; p=0.04) and G allele frequencies (odds ratio=1.59, 95% confidence interval=1.08, 2.34; p=0.02) in the HCC group were higher than those in the cirrhosis group. EGF +61 A and G allele frequencies in healthy subjects were 28.8% and 71.2%. No relationship between EGF +61 G/A gene polymorphism and HCC risk was found among our recruited HCC patients and healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that EGF +61 GG genotype is associated with a higher risk of chronic HBV-infected HCC in the Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Liver, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Kefei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: YongGang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: HanTeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor