BMC Cancer (Apr 2007)

Ovarian cancer risk and common variation in the sex hormone-binding globulin gene: a population-based case-control study

  • Yeager Meredith,
  • Welch Robert,
  • Peplonska Beata,
  • Szeszenia-Dabrowska Neonila,
  • Sherman Mark E,
  • Richesson Douglas,
  • Lissowska Jolanta,
  • Brinton Louise A,
  • Garcia-Closas Montserrat,
  • Zatonski Witold,
  • Chanock Stephen J

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-7-60
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
p. 60

Abstract

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Abstract Background The sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a carrier protein that modulates the bio-availability of serum sex steroid hormones, which may be involved in ovarian cancer. We evaluated whether common genetic variation in SHBG and its 3' neighbor ATP1B2, in linkage disequilibrium, is associated with the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods The study population included 264 women with ovarian carcinoma and 625 controls participating in a population-based case-control study in Poland. Five common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SHGB and five in ATP1B2 were selected to capture most common variation in this region. Results None of the SNPs evaluated was significantly associated with ovarian cancer risk, including the putative functional SNPs SHBG D356N (rs6259) and -67G>A 5'UTR (rs1799941). However, our data were consistent with a decreased ovarian cancer risk associated with the variant alleles for these two SNPs, which have been previously associated with increased circulating levels of SHBG. Conclusion These data do not support a substantial association between common genetic variation in SHBG and ovarian cancer risk.