Objective: To evaluate the impact of alcohol dehydrogenase-2 (ADH2) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) polymorphisms on the susceptibility of esophageal cancer.
Methods: A case-control study including 221 cases of esophageal cancer and 191 controls was carried out in Taixing city of Jiangsu province. ADH2 and ALDH2 genotypes were tested by PCR and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC).
Results: (1) Compared with ALDH2 G/G carriers, ALDH2 A/A (OR = 5.69, 95% CI: 2.51-12.18) and ALDH2 G/A (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.08-2.68) carriers showed a significantly elevated risk of developing esophageal cancer, especially among alcohol drinkers with ALDH2 A/A (OR = 8.63, 95% CI: 2.07-35.95). (2) Statistical relation was not found between ADH2 genotypes and the risk of esophageal cancer, with regard to the status of alcohol consumption. (3) Whether subjects with whatever ADH2 genotype, ALDH2 G/A or A/A carriers was found to have significantly increased the risk of developing esophageal cancer, with ALDH2 A/A carriers appeared having higher esophageal cancer risk than those ALDH2 G/A carriers. (4)Compared those non-drinkers with both ALDH2 G/G and ADH2 A/A, drinkers with ALDH2 G/A or A/A and ADH2 G/A or G/G genotypes showed a significantly elevated risk of developing esophageal cancer (OR = 8.36, 95% CI: 2.98-23.46).
Conclusion: These results revealed that it was not ADH2 but ALDH2 polymorphisms and drinking alcohol had a significant interaction with the development of esophageal cancer, suggesting that in order to help lowering the risk of esophageal cancer, individuals who are carrying ALDH2 A/A or G/A genotypes should be encouraged to reduce their consumption of alcohols.