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Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with increased risk for oral cancer
Eleftherios Vairaktaris1, Christos Yapijakis, Christos Tsigris
1Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, Vas. Sofias 93 & Dim. Soutsou 1, Athens 11521, Greece. lvairakt@med.uoa.gr
Introduction:
In light to recently found contribution of factors associated with thrombosis and inflammation to carcinogenesis, we investigated the possible association of angiotensin I- converting enzyme (ACE) with increased risk for oral cancer.
Materials And Methods:
In DNA samples of 160 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 153 healthy controls of comparable ethnicity, age and sex, we studied the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene, which affects its transcription.
Results:
The I allele frequencies were significantly increased in patients compared to controls, 40.6% versus 27.5% (p < 0.001), respectively. The II homozygotes had a three-fold greater risk for developing oral cancer (odds ratio 3.17, 95% C.I. 1.32-7.61). A significant increase of I alleles was observed in patients regardless their smoking or alcohol consumption habits, early or advanced stage of cancer, presence or absence of a family history for cancer or thrombophilia (Fischer values p < 0.05).
Discussion:
These findings suggest that the I/D polymorphism, by affecting the ACE gene expression, is associated with the progress of oral oncogenesis.
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