Lack of association between RNASEL Arg462Gln variant and the risk of breast cancer

Abstract

Background: The RNASEL G1385A variant was recently found to be implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Considering the function of RNase L and the pleiotropic effects of mutations associated with cancer, we sought to investigate whether the RNASEL G1385A variant is a risk factor for breast cancer.

Patients and methods: A total of 453 breast cancer patients and 382 age- and sex-matched controls from Greece and Turkey were analyzed. Genotyping for the RNASEL G1385A variant was performed using an Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS).

Results: Statistical evaluation of the RNASEL G1385A genotype distribution among breast cancer patients and controls revealed no significant association between the presence of the risk genotype and the occurrence of breast cancer.

Conclusion: Although an increasing number of studies report an association between the RNASEL G1385A variant and prostate cancer risk; this variant does not appear to be implicated in the development of breast cancer.