The platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha VNTR polymorphism is associated with risk for oral cancer

We have previously found an association of platelet glycoprotein Ia polymorphism with increased risk for oral cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relation of another platelet glycoprotein, Iba (GPIbalpha), with oral oncogenesis.

The variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the GPIbalpha gene, which affects the protein's structure and function, was examined in 162 Greek and German patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 225 healthy controls of equivalent age, gender and ethnicity.

The B allele frequency detected, representing higher platelet activation, in the patient group and in the subgroups of patients without family history either of cancer or thrombophilia were significantly elevated in comparison with that of the control group (p = 0.03, p = 0.016 and p = 0.036, respectively). The D allele frequency (lower platelet activation) was significantly lower in comparison with controls only in patients with family history of thrombophilia. The frequency of B/B homozygotes was significantly increased in the total group of patients and the subgroup of patients with a family history of thrombophilia, in comparison with the control group (p = 0.042 and p = 0.043, respectively), while the frequency of heterozygotes for the C/B alleles was significantly lower in the subgroups of patients with a family history of cancer and thrombophilia (p = 0.036 and p = 0.027, respectively) compared to the control group.

The VNTR polymorphism of the GPIbalpha gene, which affects the structure and function of this platelet glycoprotein, seems to be associated with risk for oral cancer, especially in patients without a family history of cancer.