Objective: To investigate the association between apoptosis genes Fas/Fas L promoter polymorphisms and the risk of the development of cervical cancer.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 314 cases with primary cervical cancer and 615 healthy controls. Genotypes of Fas/Fas L genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism. The associations with the risk of cervical cancer and impact of clinicopathological characteristics were estimated by logistic regression.
Results: Fas L-844CC genotype was significantly associated with increased risk of cervical cancer compared with Fas L-844TC or -TT genotype (OR = 3.05; P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference of Fas-670A/G or -1377G/A genotypes. Interaction of genetic polymorphism between Fas and Fas L was observed. Stratification analysis revealed that Fas-670G or -1377A allele was significantly higher in squamous carcinoma in situ (OR = 1.77 or 1.93; P < 0.05) while Fas L-844CC genotype had an increased risk of invasive squamous carcinoma compared with that of Fas L-844TT genotype (OR = 3.33; P < 0.01). No significant associations were observed between polymorphisms in Fas/Fas L and clinical FIGO stage, cell differentiation, size of tumors, serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen value at the diagnosis and so on.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that genetic polymorphisms of Fas and Fas L in apoptotic pathway are associated with the risk of development of cervical carcinoma.