Protective role of the polymorphism CCR2-64I in the progression from squamous intraepithelial lesions to invasive cervical carcinoma

Objective. Invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is one of the most common malignant diseases among women, representing almost 10% of all the cancers in the female population. The aim of this study was to explore the association of the CCR2-641 polymorphism with the risk of developing invasive cervical cancer (ICC) from squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). Methods. DNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood cells of 109 patients with squamous intraepithelial lesions (28 low-grade and 81 high-grade cases) and 217 patients with ICC. The CCR2-641 polymorphism was analyzed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR)restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) (BseJI). The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as a measure of the association between CCR2-64I genotypes and cervical cancer risk. Results. The frequency of the G/A genotype was significantly higher in SIL patients (n = 109) than ICC patients (n = 217) (P = 0.005; OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.22-0.83). Furthermore, no association was found when we analyzed the influence of the A allele in the progression from low-grade SIL (LSIL) to high-grade SIL (HSIL) (OR = 1.05; 95% CI 0.370-2.98; P = 0.930), but a statistically significant association was found in the progression from high-grade SIL to ICC (OR = 0.435; 95% CI = 0.222-0.854; P = 0.014). Conclusion. These findings suggest that CCR2-64I polymorphism might have a protective role in the evolution from high-grade SIL to ICC. (c) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.