Introduction: In light to recently found contribution of factors associated with thrombosis and inflammation to carcinogenesis, we investigated the possible association of angiotensin I- converting enzyme (ACE) with increased risk for oral cancer.
Materials and methods: In DNA samples of 160 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 153 healthy controls of comparable ethnicity, age and sex, we studied the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene, which affects its transcription.
Results: The I allele frequencies were significantly increased in patients compared to controls, 40.6% versus 27.5% (p < 0.001), respectively. The II homozygotes had a three-fold greater risk for developing oral cancer (odds ratio 3.17, 95% C.I. 1.32-7.61). A significant increase of I alleles was observed in patients regardless their smoking or alcohol consumption habits, early or advanced stage of cancer, presence or absence of a family history for cancer or thrombophilia (Fischer values p < 0.05).
Discussion: These findings suggest that the I/D polymorphism, by affecting the ACE gene expression, is associated with the progress of oral oncogenesis.