Genetic polymorphisms in the Fas and FasL genes are associated with epithelial ovarian cancer risk and clinical outcomes

Aim: In this study, we evaluated whether functional polymorphisms within the Fas and FasL genes were associated with the risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and survival of patients with EOC.

Methods: A case-control study was performed in 342 EOC patients and 344 control women. The genotypes of three promoter region polymorphisms (Fas -1377G/A, -670A/G and FasL -844T/C) were determined using ligase detection reaction-polymerase chain reaction (LDR-PCR). The clinical outcomes in 202 EOC patients were compared across genotypes.

Results: The genotype frequencies of the FasL -844 T/C polymorphism were significantly different between the case and control groups (P=0.034). Compared to the T/T and T/C genotypes, the C/C genotype significantly increased the risk of developing EOC (OR=1.46, 95% CI=1.08-1.99). The survival analysis showed that the Fas -1377G/A and -670A/G polymorphisms were related to prognosis in EOC patients. Compared with patients with the G/G genotype of the -1377G/A polymorphism, patients carrying the A allele had a shorter PFS and OS, as determined by univariate and multivariate analysis (HR=1.81, 95% CI=1.26-2.62 and HR=1.86, 95% CI=1.15-3.00, respectively). Similarly, Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard model analyses indicated that patients carrying the G allele of Fas -670A/G polymorphisms had shorter PFS and OS than those carrying the AA genotype (HR=1.67, 95% CI=1.15-2.42 and HR=1.80, 95% CI=1.10-2.94, respectively).

Conclusions: Functional polymorphisms in the Fas and FasL genes may be involved in epithelial ovarian cancer development and progression in northern Chinese women.