Association of Genetic Polymorphisms at 8q24 With the Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Japanese Population

BACKGROUND. Genetic factors, as well as a combination of environmental factors, contribute to the risk of prostate cancer (PC). Recently, genome-wide linkage studies found several independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are strongly associated with PC on chromosome 8q24. METHODS. We analyzed two of these SNPs, rs1447295 and rs6983267, to examine association with the risk of PC in Japanese men. These SNPs were examined by a mismatch PCR-RFLP method in 507 PC patients (286 aggressive and 221 non-aggressive) and in 511 non-PC patients (124 benign prostatic hyperplasia and 387 normal male controls) and the allele frequencies were then compared between groups. RESULTS. The rs1447295 A allele was associated with susceptibility to PC (PC vs. non-PC: P = 0.041; OR, 1.28; 95%CI = 1.01-1.61), and was more significantly associated with disease in aggressive PC (aggressive PC vs. normal controls, P = 0.013; OR, 1.43; 95%CI = 1.08-1.90). The rs6983267 G allele did not show significant association with susceptibility to PC (PC vs. non-PC: P = 0.967; OR, 1.00; 95%CI = 0.83-1.21). However, it was associated with disease in non-aggressive PC (non-aggressive PC vs. normal controls: P = 0.0068; OR, 1.43; 95%CI = 1.10-1.85). CONCLUSIONS. The two SNPs at 8q24 were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and contributed to tumor aggression in Japanese men. Prostate 68: 1689-1695, 2008, (C) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.