Education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms in the survival of head and neck cancer.

Abstract

The association of education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and interleukin-2 (IL-2 +114 and -384) and -6 (IL-6 -174) DNA polymorphisms with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was investigated in a cohort study of 445 subjects. IL-2 and IL-6 genotypes were determined by real-time PCR. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of disease-specific survival according to anatomical sites of the head and neck. Mean age was 56 years and most patients were males (87.6%). Subjects with 5 or more years of schooling had better survival in larynx cancer. Smoking had no effect on HNSCC survival, but alcohol consumption had a statistically significant effect on larynx cancer. IL-2 gene +114 G/T (HR = 0.52; 95%CI = 0.15-1.81) and T/T (HR = 0.22; 95%CI = 0.02-3.19) genotypes were associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer. IL-2 +114 G/T was a predictor of poor survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer and larynx cancer (HR = 1.32; 95%CI = 0.61-2.85). IL-2 -384 G/T was associated with better survival in oral cavity/oropharynx cancer (HR = 0.80; 95%CI = 0.45-1.42) and hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95%CI = 0.21-2.20), but an inverse relationship was observed for larynx cancer. IL-6 -174 G/C was associated with better survival in hypopharynx cancer (HR = 0.68; 95%CI = 0.26-1.78) and larynx cancer (HR = 0.93; 95%CI = 0.42-2.07), and C/C reduced mortality in larynx cancer. In general, our results are similar to previous reports on the value of education, smoking, alcohol consumption, and IL-2 and IL-6 genetic polymorphisms for the prognosis of HNSCC, but the risks due to these variables are small and estimates imprecise.

• Authors: R V M López, M A Zago, J Eluf-Neto, M P Curado, A W Daudt, W A da Silva-Junior, D L Zanette, J E Levi, M B de Carvalho, L P Kowalski, M Abrahão, J F de Góis-Filho, P Boffetta, V Wünsch-Filho
• Journal: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (Braz J Med Biol Res) Vol. 44 Issue 10 Pg. 1006-12 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1414-431X [Electronic] Brazil
• PMID: 21845339 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Interleukin-2
• Interleukin-6

Topics

• Aged
• Alcohol Drinking (adverse effects)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (etiology, mortality)
• Cohort Studies
• Disease-Free Survival
• Educational Status
• Female
• Genotype
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (etiology, mortality)
• Humans
• Interleukin-2 (genetics)
• Interleukin-6 (genetics)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polymorphism, Genetic (genetics)
• Prognosis
• Risk Factors
• Smoking (adverse effects)
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck