title: Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val 108/158 Met polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a case control study in Syria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inactivates catechol estrogens by methylation and thus may play a protective role against mutations induced by estrogen metabolites. In this study we investigated the relationship between the Vall58Met polymorphism in the COMT gene and breast cancer risk in a population-based case control study in Syria.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 135 breast cancer patients and 107 healthy controls in North Syria to determine the association between the functional genetic Val158Met polymorphism in the COMT gene and female breast cancer risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant overall association between the COMT genotype and individual susceptibility to breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that there may be no overall association between the COMT genotype and breast cancer.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Cancer Research Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Aleppo, University Street, Aleppo, Syria, bassaml7@yahoo.co.uk
authors: Bassam
authors: B
authors: Lajin
authors: Abdul Rezzak
authors: AR
authors: Hamzeh
authors: Lina
authors: L
authors: Ghabreau
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Mohamed
authors: Ala-Eddin
authors: AE
authors: Al Moustafa
authors: Amal
authors: A
authors: Alachkar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013593:Syria
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase