Association of P53 Codon 72 with Colon Cancer: the Role of Genetic Factors

AIM: Studies on the association between p53 codon 72 and colon cancer have given contrasting results: in some populations a positive association has been found with *Pro variant, in other with *Arg variant and in other populations no association has been observed. We have studied the possible effect of genetic variability within four common polymorphisms on the association between p53 codon 72 and colon cancer. METHODS AND MATERIAL: 106 subjects with colon cancer and 476 controls from the White population of Rome were studied. p53 codon 72, ACP1, PTPN22, ADA2 and ADA6 polymorphisms were determined by DNA analysis. Statistical analyses were carried out by SPSS programs. RESULTS: The proportions of the joint genotypes of *Pro allele carriers with *B/*B genotype of ACP1, with carriers of *T allele of PTPN22, with the ADA1*1/*1 genotype and with carriers of ADA6*1 allele are higher in colon cancer than in controls. A statistically significant positive correlation is observed in colon cancer between the proportion of *Pro allele carriers and the number of the four genetic factors considered. Sex and cancer grade influence this correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Common genetic polymorphisms influence the strength of correlation between p53 codon 72 and colon cancer suggesting a possible explanation of the contrasting result observed between different populations. Moreover, the results support the multi-factorial origin of cancer.