Polymorphism in the promoter region of the NFKBIA gene is rare in Swedish and Chinese colorectal cancer patients and controls.

To investigate whether a -708ins/del8 polymorphism in the promoter region of the NFKBIA gene is related to colorectal cancer risk and clinicopathological variables, we genotyped 92 Swedish and 93 Chinese patients as well as 174 Swedish and 159 Chinese healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing. The -708/del8 polymorphism was found in two Swedish patients and eight Swedish controls, but was absent in the Chinese population. However, among the Chinese population we found other mutations in three patients and in one control. In conclusion, the -708ins/del8 polymorphism is too rare to have a major impact on colorectal cancer incidence in the two populations.