Polymorphisms of the AURKA (STK15/Aurora kinase) gene and breast cancer risk (United States)

AURKA is an important protein in the regulation of G(2) to M transition during mitosis. Due to this regulatory function, it has been hypothesized to be a potential cancer susceptibility gene. Two non-synonymous polymorphisms (F31I and V57I) have been associated with breast cancer risk in prior studies. We sought to confirm these findings in a large case control study nested within a prospective cohort, the Nurses' Health Study. Post-menopausal women who were homozygous for the 31I and 57V alleles had an increased risk of invasive breast cancer (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.08-2.45). We also performed a meta-analysis to summarize the findings of this and prior studies of association between the F31I polymorphism and breast cancer risk (Summary OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.08-1.53, p-heterogeneity = 0.29). These results confirm prior findings that AURKA represents a low penetrance breast cancer susceptibility gene.