p53 codon 72 polymorphism (C/G) and the risk of human papillomavirus‐associated carcinomas in China

BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus (HPV) plays an important role in the development of carcinomas at various body sites. It was found previously that the p53 codon 72 polymorphism (C/G) is a high‐risk factor for the development HPV‐associated cervical carcinoma. However, it still was considered controversial in several studies of cervical and esophageal carcinoma. METHODS In the current study, the authors used an allele specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to analyze correlation between the p53 codon 72 (C/G) polymorphism and HPV‐associated, noncancerous esophageal epithelium as well as esophageal, ovarian, and breast carcinoma in the Chinese population. Esophageal balloon cytology examination samples were obtained from high‐incidence and low‐incidence populations for esophageal carcinoma in Anyang (Henan Province). RESULTS Thirty‐six of 48 esophageal balloon samples from the high‐incidence population were HPV positive, and 13 of 33 esophageal balloon samples from the low‐incidence population were HPV positive. Thirty‐nine of 62 esophageal carcinoma samples from Anyang Tumor Hospital were HPV positive. Twenty‐six of 39 ovarian carcinoma samples from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical College were HPV positive. Nineteen of 82 breast carcinoma samples from Beijing Cancer Hospital were HPV positive. It is noteworthy that the distribution of the p53 codon 72 Arg homozygous genotype in HPV positive samples of esophageal epithelium, ovarian carcinoma, and breast carcinoma was significantly higher compared with HPV negative tumor samples. (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The current results suggest that the p53 codon 72 Arg homozygous genotype is one of the high‐risk genetic factors for HPV‐associated malignancies among the Chinese population. Cancer 2002;95:2571–6. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11008 The current study showed that the p53 codon 72 Arg homozygous genotype is one of the high‐risk genetic factors for human papillomavirus‐associated malignancies among the Chinese population.