OBJECTIVETo study the potential effect of gene-environment interaction between CYP1A1 and serum dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDT) levels on the risk of breast cancer in women, in China.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted. From Dec. 2003 to Sep. 2004, 104 women with histologically confirmed breast cancers and 154 noncancerous controls from a community were enrolled in this study. Risk factors information of breast cancer was investigated by a questionnaire. Serum p, p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p, p'-DDT) and 1, 1-dichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p, p'-DDE) levels were tested by GC-ECD. CYP1A1 m2 gene type was tested by allele special-PCR method.

RESULTSSerum DDT levels of case and control were (36.90 +/- 79.41) ng/ml and (50.60 +/- 150.70) ng/ml respectively. Serum 1, 1-dichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p, p'-DDE) levels of case and control were (7.43 +/- 11.10) ng/ml and (8.96 +/- 11.30) ng/ml respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups with geometric mean t-test (P > 0.05). Compared with women who had homozygous wild-type CYP1A1 m2 genotype, significantly increased risks of breast cancer were found for women with the CYP1A1 m2 homozygous variant genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 2.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00 - 6.80]. Among premenopausal women, compared with women with homozygous wild-type of CYP1A1 genotype (Ile/Ile) and low serum DDT level (DDT serum level < or = 42.93 ng/ml), women with at least one variant allele of CYP1A1 m2 genotype and high serum DDT level (DDT serum level > or = 42.93 ng/ml) had higher risk of breast cancer (OR = 4.35, 95% CI: 1.140 - 16.950).

CONCLUSIONSCYP1A1 m2 genetic polymorphism was associated with increased risk of female breast cancer while DDT exposure might have increased the risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women with CYP1A1 m2 variant genotype.