Polymorphisms of the XRCC1 DNA repair gene in head and neck cancer

Inherited polymorphisms in the genes controlling the cell cycle or functioning in the DNA repair mechanisms may impair their function and contribute to genetic susceptibility. Abnormalities in the DNA repair have been reported in head and neck cancer. The XRCC1 gene functions in single-strand break and base excision repair processes. In this study, two polymorphisms of the XRCC1 gene, Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln were investigated in 95 patients with head and neck carcinoma. The polymorphic regions were amplified by PCR followed by digestion with methylation-specific restriction enzymes, and analyzed electrophoretically. Genotype and allele frequencies were calculated, and association with cancer risk or clinical parameters was investigated. No association was observed between the genotypes and head and neck cancer for either polymorphism. Distribution of the alleles did not significantly differ between the patients and the control group. A significant association was only found for the Trp194 allele among the smoking individuals. Our data indicate that the Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms do not confer a significant risk for head and neck carcinogenesis.