MYC gene associated polymorphisms and Wilms tumor risk in Chinese children: a four-center case-control study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Wilms tumor (WT) is a common embryonal malignancy in the kidney, ranking fourth in childhood cancer worldwide. MYC, a critical proto-oncogene, plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the MYC gene may lead to the deregulation of MYC proto-oncogene protein and thereby promote the initiation and development of tumors. METHODS: Here, we assessed the association between MYC gene associated polymorphisms and WT susceptibility by performing a case-control study with 355 cases and 1070 controls. Two MYC gene associated polymorphisms (rs4645943 C > T, rs2070583 A > G) were genotyped by TaqMan technique. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for evaluating the association between these two polymorphisms and WT susceptibility. RESULTS: No significant association was detected between the selected polymorphisms and WT risk in the overall analysis as well as stratification analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that neither of two selected MYC gene associated polymorphisms might affect WT susceptibility in the Chinese population. Large well-designed studies with diverse ethnicities are warranted to verify these results.