These results further suggested that RAD51 (135G/C, 172 G/T) and XRCC3 (Thr241Met) polymorphisms may be effective biomarkers for genetic susceptibility to HNC.
Our meta-analysis suggested the XRCC3 241M allele (MM+TM) might act as a head and neck cancer risk factor among all subjects, and the effect of T241M polymorphism on head and neck susceptibility should be studied with a larger, stratified population.
Pooling data and DNA specimens from three case-control studies in western Washington State, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico, totaling 555 cases (430 whites) and 792 controls (695 whites), we studied the risk of head and neck cancer in relation to common nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in four DNA repair genes: MGMT (Leu84Phe and Ile143Val), XRCC1 (Arg399Gln), XPD (Lys751Gln), and XRCC3 (Thr241Met).