title: Tumor necrosis factor alpha 308 G/A polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in a Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The genetic basis of susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a cytokine that may act as an endogenous tumor promoter. The association between TNF-α 308 G/A polymorphism and HCC risk remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the association between TNF-α 308 G/A polymorphism and HCC risk in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 88 patients with documented HCC and 88 healthy controls. The gene polymorphism of TNF-α was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCC patients had a significantly lower frequency GG (odds ratio=0.36; 95% confidence interval=0.13, 0.94; p=0.04) and G allele (odds ratio=0.58; 95% confidence interval=0.37, 0.90; p=0.01) than healthy controls. When stratifying for tumor size and cirrhosis, no statistically significant results were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that TNF-α -308GG and G allele were associated with a modest decrease in the risk of HCC in Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chengyou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha