To explore the relation of the MMP-1 1G/2G and MMP-3 5A/6A promoter polymorphisms with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), DNA specimens extracted from peripheral blood cells of HNSCC patients and healthy controls were genotyped. The frequency of the MMP-1 2G/2G genotype was significantly higher in HNSCC patients (n = 140) than in age- and sex-matched controls (n = 223) (P = 0.042; OR, 1.56). In the MMP-3 polymorphism, there was no significant difference in the genotype distribution between patients and controls. These data suggest that the MMP-1 promoter polymorphism may be associated with HNSCC.
Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.