Genetic Variants in TGF-β Pathway and Ovarian Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Yin Jikai, Lu Karen, Lin Jie, Wu Lei, Hildebrandt Michelle A. T., Chang David W., Meyer Larissa, Wu Xifeng, Liang Dong
Primary Institution: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Hypothesis
Common germline genetic variants in the TGF-β pathway are associated with ovarian cancer risk.
Conclusion
The study found that genetic variants in the TGF-β signaling pathway are associated with ovarian cancer risk and may help identify high-risk subgroups.
Supporting Evidence
- The most significant SNP was SMAD6: rs4147407, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.60.
- Cumulative genotype analysis showed a clear dose-response trend of escalating risk with increasing number of unfavorable genotypes.
- Gene-gene interaction analysis categorized the study population into subgroups with different ovarian cancer risk.
Takeaway
Scientists looked at genes related to a signaling pathway and found that certain changes in these genes can increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
Methodology
The study used a case-control design, genotyping 218 SNPs from 21 genes in the TGF-β pathway in 417 ovarian cancer cases and 417 matched controls.
Potential Biases
Selection bias may confound the identified associations.
Limitations
The study may have chance findings due to small subgroup sizes and potential unmeasured confounding factors.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were Caucasian women, with cases and controls matched by age and ethnicity.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0066
Confidence Interval
1.14–2.24
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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