title: Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in breast and renal cancer: current state and future approaches (review).
abstract: Cancer is a major health problem and cause of death worldwide that accounted for 7.6 million deaths in 2008, which is projected to continue rising with an estimated 13.1 million deaths in 2030 according to WHO. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-based death among women around the world and its incidence is increasing annually with a similar tendency. In contrast, renal cell carcinoma accounts for only 3% of total human malignancies but it is still the most common type of urological cancer with a high prevalence in elderly men (>60 years of age). There are several factors linked with the development of renal cell cancer only, while others are connected only with breast cancer. Genetic risk factors and smoking are the factors which contribute to carcinogenesis in general. Some evidence exists indicating that vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms are associated with both breast and renal cancer; therefore, we put forward the hypothesis that polymorphisms in the VDR gene may influence both the occurrence risks of these cancers and their prognosis. However, the relationship between VDR polymorphisms and these two specific cancers remains a controversial hypothesis, and consequently needs further confirmation via clinical research together with genetic investigations. Here, we aimed to assess the correlation between the different alleles of VDR gene polymorphisms and renal cell cancer and breast cancer risks separately through a systematic review of the present literature. In contrast, this analysis has revealed that some VDR gene polymorphisms, such as: Bsm1, poly(A), Taq1, Apa1, are to some extent associated with breast cancer risk. Other polymorphisms were found to be significantly associated with renal cell cancer. Namely, they were Fok1, Bsm1, Taq1 and Apa1, which encode proteins participating mainly in proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. However, data concerning renal cancer are not sufficient to firmly establish the VDR gene polymorphism association.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Clinic of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Mohammed I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Clinic of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia F
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Bielecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi 110 062, India.
authors.forename: Mohammad Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Najm
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Knowledge Management, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Czarnecki
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Clinic of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Czarnecka
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Clinic of Oncology, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Cezary
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Szczylik
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol