Cytochrome P450 2A6 polymorphism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Received 11 July 2005; received in revised form 10 October 2005; accepted 12 October 2005.
Abstract
Nitrosamine has been identified as a carcinogen for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we investigated if a nitrosamine metabolizing gene, cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) played an important role in NPC development. Relationships between the disease and the CYP2A6 were studied in 74 NPC patients and 137 age-matched healthy controls by using PCR-RFLP assay to distinguish between a wide type allele, *1A, and two mutant alleles, *1B and *4C. Overall, a significant association between CYP2A6 polymorphism and NPC development was observed (P<0.05). Individual with mutant alleles had an increased risk for NPC when compared to those with *1A/*1A (OR=2.37, 95% CI=1.27–4.46). In addition, males who carried mutant alleles of CYP2A6 had a fivefold increased risk for NPC when compared with those who carried *1A/*1A genotype (OR=5.02, 95% CI=1.82–14.14). It is thus suggested that CYP2A6 polymorphism may play a crucial role in NPC susceptibility and it may be used as a risk marker for NPC.
aResearch Division, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
bPathology Division, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
cUnit of Human Biology and Genetics, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan