In conclusion, the ADH1C *1/*2 polymorphism is likely associated with pancreatitis risk, particularly chronic alcoholic pancreatitis risk, with the *1 allele functioning as a risk factor.
Numerous association studies have provided compelling evidence that ADH1C gene variation (formerly ADH3) is associated with altered genetic susceptibility to alcoholism and alcohol-related liver disease, cirrhosis, or pancreatitis.
To find the ADH3 genotypes in the Polish population likely to be responsible for higher susceptibility to alcohol disease of the liver and chronic alcohol pancreatitis.
ADH1C genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism in a total of 818 patients with alcohol-associated esophageal (n=123), head and neck (n=84) and hepatocellular cancer (n=86) as well as in patients with alcoholic pancreatitis (n=117), alcoholic liver cirrhosis (n=217), combined liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis (n=17) and in alcoholics without gastrointestinal organ damage (n=174).
We analyzed the ADH1C genotype in 117 moderate alcohol consumers with breast cancer and in 111 age-matched women with alcohol associated diseases without cancer (74 cirrhotics, 22 patients with pancreatitis and 15 alcohol dependent patients).