PTGS2 (COX-2) −765 G > C functional promoter polymorphism and its association with risk and lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins that has been shown to have a particular importance in the progression of several malignancies including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In the current report, we designed a case-controlled study to evaluate the susceptibility and prognostic implications of the functional −765 G > C genetic variation in NPC. A PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the polymorphism in a Tunisian population of patients with NPC (n = 180) and in healthy control subjects (n = 169). A higher risk for NPC was observed for carriers of COX-2 −765 C allele (OR = 1.76; P = 0.01). This association remains significant after adjustments for age and sex (OR = 1.89; P = 0.008). Regarding prognostic indicators, a significant association was found between −765 C allele carriers and the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.28; P = 0.01), as well as, with tumor stage (OR = 2.73; P = 0.03). This is the first report on the studies of COX-2 SNPs in NPC and our data suggest that this genetic variant may play a role in mediating susceptibility to NPC, as well as, in neoplastic progression, a finding which further supports the involvement of COX-2 in NPC etiology.