MTHFR gene polymorphisms as risk factors for colorectal cancer among Egyptian patients

ABSTRACT

Polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [MTHFR], such as MTHFR C677T and A1298C, are associated with several cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of MTHFR polymorphisms on colorectal cancer risk in a population from damitta Egypt. This hospital-based case-control study was conducted during 2008-2010; 64 colon cancer cases and 90 controls were enrolled. Information was collected and blood samples were obtained for assay of MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism [PCR-SSCP] and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP] techniques. Associations between variables of interest and colorectal cancer were assessed using conditional logistic regression. Increased risk of colorectal cancer was associated with the MTHFR C677 TT genotype of C677T polymorphism [OR [adj] = 24.0; 95% CI 1.34-429.1; P value for interaction = 0.001]. The 1298AC genotype and C allele was associated with a statistically significant lower risk among subjects [OR, 3.85; 95% CI, 1.78-8.33; P value for interaction=.0005 and OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.16-3.059 P value for interaction=0.01], respectively. MTHFR 1298 AA genotype and A allele was found to be associated with a significantly decreased risk for colorectal cancer [OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.11-0.52; P value for interaction= 0.0005 and OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.32-0.85 P value for interaction= 0.01and], respectively. There was no clear relation between colorectal adenomas and those with the 1298 CC genotype. The combined CC, AA [corrected] genotypes and the CT+AA [corrected] genotypes and the TT+ AC were associated with a statistically significant lower risk for developing colorectal cancer [P value for interaction= 0.03, 0.02, 0.001], respectively. The findings suggest an interaction between the MTHFR genotype and colorectal adenomas among Egyptian patients