Association of CHEK2 polymorphisms with the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in Chinese never-smoking women.

Abstract

Cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) plays an essential role in the repair of DNA damage. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes are thought to influence treatment effects and survival of cancer patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms in the CHEK2 gene and efficacy of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in never-smoking Chinese female patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using DNA from blood samples of 272 Chinese advanced NSCLC non-smoking female patients treated with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, we have analyzed the relationships between four SNPs in the CHEK2 gene and clinical outcomes. We found that overall survival (OS) was significantly associated with CHEK2 rs4035540 (Log-Rank P=0.020), as well as the CHEK2 rs4035540 dominant model (Log-Rank P=0.026), especially in the lung adenocarcinoma group. After multivariate analysis, patients with rs4035540 A/G genotype had a significantly better OS than those with the G/G genotype (HR =0.67, 95% CI, 0.48-0.93; P=0.016). In the toxicity analysis, it was observed that patients with the CHEK2 rs4035540 A/A genotype had a higher risk of gastrointestinal toxicity than the G/G genotype group (P=0.009). However, there are no significant associations between chemotherapy treatments and genetic variations. Our findings indicate that SNPs in CHEK2 are related to Chinese advanced NSCLC never-smoking female patients receiving platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in China. Patients with rs4035540 A/G genotype have a better OS. And patients with rs4035540 A/A genotype have a higher risk of gastrointestinal toxicity. These results point to a direction for predicting the prognosis for Chinese never-smoking NSCLC female patients. However, there are no significant associations between chemotherapy treatments and SNPs in CHEK2, which need more samples to the further study.