Common genetic variants associated with breast cancer in Korean women and differential susceptibility according to intrinsic subtype

Abstract

Background: Recently identified genetic variants from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on breast cancer have not been validated in Asian populations, except in China. In this study, we sought to confirm the association between known variants and breast cancer in Korean women and further evaluate the associations of individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with different intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer.

Methods: In total, 3,321 invasive breast cancer patients and 3,500 healthy controls were genotyped for five SNPs by using the TaqMan assay. The SNPs genotyped included rs2046210 (6q25.1), rs2981582 (FGFR2), rs889312 (MAP3K1), rs3803662 (TOX3/TNRC9), and rs4973768 (SLC4A7). Tumors were classified into four intrinsic subtypes based on estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, HER2, and Ki67 expression.

Results: All five SNPs were significantly associated with risk of breast cancer in dominant, recessive, and additive models. ORs per risk allele (95% CI) were 1.29 (1.16-1.43), 1.40 (1.18-1.68), 1.22 (1.06-1.41), 1.52 (1.30-1.77), and 1.20 (1.08-1.33) for rs2046210, rs2981582, rs889312, rs3803662, and rs4973768, respectively. A multigene logistic regression risk model was generated with the SNPs. In subtype analysis, all 5 SNPs were associated with the Luminal A subtype. Two SNPs (rs2046210 and rs3803662) were linked to the ER(-)HER2(+) subtype, and only rs2046210 SNP was associated with the triple-negative subtype.

Conclusions: The five SNPs from GWAS were significantly associated with breast cancer risk in Korean women. Associations were heterogeneous according to the intrinsic subtype of breast cancer.

Impact: Our result is an important contribution to the literature about genetic susceptibility for breast cancer in nonwhite populations.