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Individual susceptibility to carcinogens.
1Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Torino, Italy. p.vineis@imperial.ac.uk
Oncogene
|August 24, 2004
Summary
Genetic variations in carcinogen metabolism influence cancer risk, especially when interacting with DNA repair genes. While scientifically interesting, these gene polymorphisms do not currently offer clinically relevant cancer risk predictions.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Cancer Biology
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing genes impact cancer rates differently across populations.
- Gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, especially with DNA repair genes, modify these effects.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for cancer research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the combined effects of specific gene polymorphisms on various cancers.
- To explore the impact of polymorphisms on intermediate cancer markers like DNA adducts.
- To evaluate the clinical relevance of cancer susceptibility genes.
Main Methods:
- Review of studies examining polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolizing and DNA repair genes.
- Analysis of research on gene interactions and their effect on cancer development.
- Investigation of associations between polymorphisms and intermediate biomarkers.
Main Results:
- The contribution of carcinogen metabolism gene polymorphisms to cancer varies significantly based on allele frequencies and exposure levels.
- Interactions between these polymorphisms and other genes, particularly DNA repair genes, are significant.
- Studies on combined effects on colorectal cancer and DNA adducts are discussed.
Conclusions:
- Cancer susceptibility genes are of significant scientific interest for understanding cancer etiology.
- Current evidence suggests these polymorphisms do not confer high enough risks for direct clinical application in cancer prediction.