Microsatellite polymorphisms in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and the transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFA) gene and risk of oral cancer in Puerto Rico

• Published in: Pharmacogenetics and genomics Vol. 15; no. 5; p. 343
• Main Authors: Kang, Daehee, Gridley, Gloria, Huang, Wen-Yi, Engel, Lawrence S, Winn, Deborah M, Brown, Linda M, Bravo-Otero, Eleuterio, Wu, Tianxia, Diehl, Scott R, Hayes, Richard B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.2005
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alcoholic Beverages; Case-Control Studies; Female; Fruit; Genes, erbB-1 - genetics; Humans; Male; Microsatellite Repeats - genetics; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - epidemiology; Mouth Neoplasms - genetics; Polymorphism, Genetic; Puerto Rico - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Smoking; Transforming Growth Factor alpha - genetics; Vegetables; Puerto Rico
• ISSN: 1744-6872
• DOI: 10.1097/01213011-200505000-00010

Risks of oral cancer related to a CA microsatellite repeat polymorphism in intron 1 of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and a TaqI polymorphism in the transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFA) gene were evaluated in a population-based case-control study consisting of 157 cases and 149 controls recruited in Puerto Rico. Carriers of > or = 16 CA repeats in EGFR showed a 1.9-fold increased risk for oral cancer (OR=1.9, 95% CI=1.0-3.5). Risks also tended to increase with decreasing number of alleles with > or = 16 CA repeats (P for trend=0.06). Our data suggested a non-significant reduction in risk for subjects heterozygous for the TGFA polymorphism (OR=0.6, 95% CI=0.2-1.3). The EGFR-associated risk appeared to be independent of tobacco and alcohol use and may be restricted primarily to subjects who consumed low amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables (OR=5.9, 95%CI: 2.3-15.2). These data implicate dietary and molecular targets for oral cancer prevention.