All submissions of the EM system will be redirected to Online Manuscript Submission System. Authors are requested to submit articles directly to Online Manuscript Submission System of respective journal.

EGFR gene polymorphisms -216G>T and -191C>A are risk markers for gastric cancer in Mexican population

Author(s): J.H. Torres-Jasso, M.E. Mar�­n, E. Santiago-Luna, J.C. Leoner,J. Torres, M.T. Maga�±a-Torres, F.J. Perea, B. Ibarra and J.Y. S�¡nchez-L�³pez

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein with tyrosine-kinase activity that plays an important role in multiple cellular functions. EGFR overexpression has been observed in several types of tumors and it is significantly associated with disease stage, survival, prognosis, and progression of cancer. The polymorphisms -216G>T, -191C>A, and (CA)n first intervening sequence (IVS1) have been related to EGFR overexpression and have been studied in several types of cancer, but not in gastric cancer (GC). The aim of this study was to determine the association of these 3 polymorphisms and GC. Genomic DNA from 68 GC patients and 102 healthy blood donors were analyzed. Polymorphisms were identified by DNA-sequencing (-216G>T and -191C>A) and GeneScan (CA)n IVS1. The results showed that the distribution of the -216G>T and -191C>A genotypes differed between groups (P n IVS1 repeat was similar in both groups. In conclusion, the -216TT and -191AA genotypes and GA haplotype of the EGFR gene were found to be associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer in a Mexican population.