Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in Southern Chinese and Southeast Asian populations. Geographical and ethnic clustering of the cancer is due to genetic, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors. This case-control study aimed to identify or confirm both genetic and non-genetic risk factors for NPC in one of the endemic countries, Malaysia. A panel of 768 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with various cancers and known non-genetic risk factors for NPC were selected and analyzed for their associations with NPC in a case-control study. Statistical analysis identified 40 SNPs associated with NPC risk in our population, including 5 documented previously by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and other case-control studies; the associations of the remaining 35 SNPs with NPC were novel. In addition, consistent with previous studies, exposure to occupational hazards, overconsumption of salt-cured foods, red meat, as well as low intake of fruits and vegetables were also associated with NPC risk. In short, this study confirmed and/or identified genetic, environmental and dietary risk factors associated with NPC susceptibility in a Southeast Asian population.
Highlights
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) constitutes 75-95% of the cancer cases of nasopharynx in low-risk populations and almost all those in high-risk populations (Whelan and Ferlay 1992)
The 96 NPC cases and controls were matched according to the age, ethnicity and gender (Table 1)
We demonstrated the association of 40 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with NPC in a Southeast Asian population
Summary
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) constitutes 75-95% of the cancer cases of nasopharynx in low-risk populations and almost all those in high-risk populations (Whelan and Ferlay 1992). Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is considered a relatively rare disease, having an agestandardized incidence rate in both sexes of less than 1 in 100,000 persons per year. This accounts for merely ~0.7% of the cancer burden across the globe (Jemal et al, 2011). Geographical and ethnic clustering of the cancer is due to genetic, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors This case-control study aimed to identify or confirm both genetic and non-genetic risk factors for NPC in one of the endemic countries, Malaysia. Conclusions: In short, this study confirmed and/or identified genetic, environmental and dietary risk factors associated with NPC susceptibility in a Southeast Asian population
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