Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val 108/158 Met polymorphism in premenopausal breast cancer patients.

Abstract

There is compelling evidence to suggest that catecholestrogens may play a role in the development of breast cancer. Particularly, inactivation of catecholestrogens may prevent the genesis and arrest the development of breast cancer. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is polymorphic and responsible for the detoxification of catecholestrogens. In the present study, we examined what role COMT gene polymorphisms may play in the development of breast cancer in a case-control study of 130 sporadic unrelated premenopausal Turkish breast cancer patients with 233 unrelated healthy controls. The frequency of COMT-L allele was more significantly represented in the breast cancer cases (48.08%) than in the controls (38.20%). The genotype frequencies of COMT-HH, HL and LL were 25.4, 53.1 and 21.5% in the breast cancer subjects and 26.6, 62.7 and 10.7% in the controls respectively. In conclusion, the COMT-L allele and COMT-LL genotype are genetic risk factors for sporadic breast cancer in premenopausal Turkish women.

• Authors: Ali Sazci, Emel Ergul, Nihat Zafer Utkan, Nuh Zafer Canturk, Guner Kaya
• Journal: Toxicology (Toxicology) Vol. 204 Issue 2-3 Pg. 197-202 (Nov 15 2004) ISSN: 0300-483X [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 15388245 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Methionine
• Catechol O-Methyltransferase
• Valine

Topics

• Adult
• Alleles
• Breast Neoplasms (enzymology, genetics)
• Case-Control Studies
• Catechol O-Methyltransferase (genetics)
• Chi-Square Distribution
• Confidence Intervals
• Female
• Gene Frequency (genetics)
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• Humans
• Methionine (genetics)
• Odds Ratio
• Polymorphism, Genetic
• Premenopause (genetics, metabolism)
• Valine (genetics)