Polymorphisms of the CYP1A1, CYP2E1 and XRCC1 genes and cancer risk in a Southern Italian population: A case-control study

Background: Polymorphisms in genes encoding enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism andlor in cellular defenses against carcinogen-induced DNA damage play an important role in determining individual cancer susceptibility. However, their distribution and association with cancer susceptibility can vary in different populations. Materials and Methods: A case-control study including 290 cancer patients (cases) and 242 controls was performed to evaluate the relationship between polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1 and CYP2E1 and X-ray repair complementing defective repair in Chinese hamster cells (XRCC)1 genes and the risk of developing cancer in a Southern Italian (Basilicata) population. Genomic DNA was isolated from 5 ml whole blood and genotyping was performed using a PCR-RFLP technique. Results: No significant differences were observed in the distribution of the CYP1A1, CYP2E1 and XRCC1 gene polymorphisms between the cases and controls in the population under study. Conclusion: The distribution of CYP1A1, CYP2E1 and XRCC1 gene polymorphisms in the Basilicata population is not different from that of other Italian regions or from that reported in the literature for Caucasian populations, and polymorphisms in these genes do not play an important role in determining cancer risk in the population under study.