Role of cyclooxygenase-2 gene polymorphisms in pancreatic carcinogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical significance of -765G/C and -1195G/A cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene polymorphisms in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC).


METHODS
The study included 201 patients: 85 with PC and 116 healthy controls. -765G/C and -1195G/A COX-2 gene polymorphisms were studied in DNA isolated from blood samples. The associations of the analyzed genotypes and clinical data at diagnosis were evaluated.


RESULTS
We found an increased frequency of the homozygous -1195AA COX-2 genotype in patients with PC (53.7%) compared with the control group (21%) (P < 0.01). In contrast, the distribution of genotype and allele frequencies of the -765G/C COX-2 polymorphism in the PC patients were not different from those in control groups. A correlation between presence of homozygous -1195AA COX-2 genotype and tumor size > 3 cm was observed (P < 0.05). Analyzed polymorphisms were unrelated to the patients' sex and age, nor to the presence of regional or distant metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results indicate that the -1195G/A COX-2 polymorphism may play an important role in PC prognosis and carcinogenesis.
Department of Digestive Tract Diseases, Medical University, 22 Kopcinskiego, 90-153 Lodz, Poland. renata.talar-wojnarowska@umed.lodz.pl
Renata
R
Talar-Wojnarowska
Anita
A
Gasiorowska
Marek
M
Olakowski
Pawel
P
Lampe
Beata
B
Smolarz
Hanna
H
Romanowicz-Makowska
Ewa
E
Malecka-Panas
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2