Investigation of P53 Codon 72 Polymorphism in Patients with Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers in Isfahan

The P53 tumor suppressor gene plays important roles in genomic stability. G–to-C at codon 72 in the P53 gene has been associated with increased risk for lung, oral, prostate, breast, colorectal cancers and may be a marker for risk of skin cancer. This project studied the effect of P53 polymorphism on risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers (Squamous and basal cell carcinoma). This case–control study undertook for study of twenty basal cell carcinoma (BCC), twenty squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and twenty specimens as controls for each cancer specimen in the city of Isfahan, Iran. Different P53 codon 72 genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction. In control samples, the frequency of Arg/Arg genotype showed 25% and in BCC specimens showed 60%. The differences in this genotype group between the cases and controls were statistically significant (P = 0.048). The differences in the frequency of heterozygot Arg/Pro and also in the frequency of Pro/Pro genotype between the cases and controls were not statistically significant. OR = 4.5 in BCC cases show that the risk for this disease in persons who have Arg/Arg genotype is about 4.5 times more than normal people. The results of χ2 test showed that in this study there is not statistically significant differences between the SCC specimens and controls for frequency of different genotypes. The present study indicate that P53 codon 72 polymorphism is a genetic predisposing factor for risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers (of BCC type) in Isfahan. However, further studies are needed in order to elucidate the role of P53 codon 72 polymorphism in skin cancer development.