RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene is a marker for the study of interindividual susceptibility to developing neoplasias. The purpose of this study was to verify a possible association between single nucleotide polymomorphisms (SNPs) of NAT2 and the susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC) and breast cancer (BC) in patients from the North region of Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five SNPs of the NAT2 gene were investigated by direct sequencing. Ancestry was estimated by analysis of a panel with 48 ancestry-informative markers (AIM). RESULTS: Individuals with slow acetylation profile had an increased risk of developing neoplasias up to three times when compared to controls. CONCLUSION: In this study, slow acetylation profile was found to strongly influence susceptibility to GC and BC.
