The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene contains a functional polymorphism, Val158Met which has been related to common diseases like cancer, psychiatric illness and myocardial infarction.
In the total analysis, the results suggested a significant association between the Val158Met polymorphism in the COMT gene and the cancer risk in Chinese population: OR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.04-1.73, and P = 0.03 for AA vs. AG + GG; OR = 1.39, 95%CI = 1.06-1.82, and P = 0.02; OR = 1.13, 95%CI = 1.01-1.27, and P = 0.04.
Urological cancers occur worldwide.Many factors, among which the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism, are said to be associated with the cancer risk.
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an abundant S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-)-dependent methyltransferase that methylates catechol compounds, including catecholamines and catecholestrogens.COMT gene located at chromosome 22q11.2 contains a functional polymorphism at codon 158(Val158Met), which has been related to psychiatric diseases and different types of cancer.
Pharmacogenetic analysis of COMT and cancer prevention in two large randomized trials revealed statistically significant COMT by alpha-tocopherol interaction, such that alpha-tocopherol was beneficial among rs4680 met-allele (28.0%), but not val-allele (22.8%) homozygotes.
Opioid response in paediatric cancer patients and the Val158Met polymorphism of the human catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene: an Italian study on 87 cancer children and a systematic review.