ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)C677T polymorphism and the efficacy of the adjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX regimen for patients who had underwent radical resection of colorectal cancer. METHODS: Sixty-two patients who had received chemotherapy with XELOX regimen following radical resection of colorectal cancer were tested for MTHFR C677T polymorphism using Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR to analyze the association of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with the prognosis and adverse reactions to chemotherapy. RESULTS: Among the 62 patients with colorectal cancer, there were 3 allelotypes (C/C, C/T and T/T)at the MTHFR C677T locus, and their frequencies were 46.8%, 40.3%, and 12.9%, respectively. The recurrence free survival time was prolonged in C/T and T/T group than C/C group(Log-rank=4.778, P0.05). CONCLUSION: MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with the prognosis with adjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX regimen, and is not associated with the toxicities of chemotherapy. TNM stage IV is predicative of worse prognosis with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.