COX-2 polymorphisms and the risk for head and neck cancer in white patients.

Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, which are regulators of processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis, all relevant for cancer development. We investigated whether functional genetic polymorphisms in COX-2 may have a risk-modifying effect on head and neck carcinogenesis.

Methods: Blood from 431 white patients with oral, pharyngeal, or laryngeal carcinoma and 438 white healthy controls was investigated for the presence of 2 functional promoter region polymorphisms (-1195A-->G and -765G-->C) in COX-2.

Results: Logistic regression analysis did not show differences in COX-2 genotype distributions between patients and controls. Also no differences were found when stratified according to tumor localization, sex, or tobacco consumption.

Conclusion: In contrast to earlier reports on the role of these COX-2 polymorphisms in mediating susceptibility to squamous esophageal carcinoma in a Chinese population, we could not demonstrate a risk-modifying effect in head and neck carcinogenesis in whites.