title: Association between EGF +61A/G polymorphism and gastric cancer in Caucasians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between epidermal growth factor (EGF) +61A/G polymorphism and susceptibility to gastric cancer, through a cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses were used to genotype EGF +61 in 207 patients with gastric lesions (162 patients with gastric adenocarcinomas, 45 with atrophy or intestinal metaplasia) and 984 controls. All subjects were Caucasian.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype distribution was 23.5% for GG and 76.5% for GA/AA in the control group, 18.4% for GG and 68.6% for GA/AA in the entire group with gastric lesions and 17.9% for GG and 82.1% for GA/AA in the group with gastric adenocarcinoma. No statistically significant associations were found between EGF +61 variants and risk for developing gastric cancer [odds ratios (OR) = 1.41, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.90-2.21, P = 0.116]. However, the stratification of individuals by gender revealed that males carrying A alleles (EGF +61A/G or AA) had an increased risk for developing gastric cancer as compared to GG homozygous males (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05-2.28, P = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, we found that males who were A carriers for EGF +61 had an increased risk for developing gastric cancer. This result may be explained by the suggestion that women secrete less gastric acid than men.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Group, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pinto-Correia
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dinis-Ribeiro
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Rui M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor