Background and aim: NAT2 gene polymorphisms can influence colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We aimed to determine the extent to which NAT2 gene polymorphisms influence the survival of patients with sporadic colorectal cancer.
Methods: Seventy patients with sporadic colorectal cancer that underwent surgery at the 3rd Surgical Department of Cluj-Napoca between October 2003-May 2005 were randomly selected. Correlations between NAT2*5C(T341C), NAT2*5A(C481T), NAT2*6B(G590A), NAT2*7B(G857A) polymorphisms and survival of patients with different Dukes-MAC stages of CRC were analyzed. We compared patients with a slow acetylator genotype with those having an intermediate or rapid acetylator genotype.
Results: The slow acetylator 341CC genotype is a negative prognostic factor, 20% vs. 30.8%, as compared to rapid acetylator 341TT/TC genotypes (p=0.02) in the patients diagnosed with stage C CRC. For the same stage patients, the slow acetylator 481CC was a positive prognostic factor, 33% vs. 25% (p=0.03). The slow acetylator 590AA was a negative prognostic factor for the survival of patients with stages B and C, 0% vs. 31% (p=0.02). The slow acetylator 857AA genotype was a negative prognostic factor for the patients in stage B, survival rate 0.69% vs. 50%, and positive for patients with stage C, survival rate 50% vs. 21% (p=0.0101). The rapid acetylator 341TT/TC represented a good prognostic factor, while the slow 341CC a negative one for stage D patients (p= 0.04, survival of 18.9%) HR=0.30 with 95%, CI[0.025- 0.9810].
Conclusion: The NAT2 gene may be considered as a prognostic factor for the survival of patients with CRC.