OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism, smoking and drinking with the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) in the population of Han nationality in Jiangsu and Anhui.

METHODSA case-control study including 207 PCa patients and 235 age-matched controls was conducted. The polymorphisms of XRCC1 Arg399Gln sites were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique using genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes. We compared the correlations between the susceptibility to PCa and different genotypes, and investigated the effect of smoking and drinking.

RESULTSThe heterozygous Arg/Gln genotype was associated with statistically significantly increased risk of PCa (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.01-2.39) compared with those with Arg/Arg wild-type homozygote. An increased susceptibility to PCa was shown to be associated with the 399Gln allele (either the heterozygous Arg/Gln or the homozygous Gin/Gln genotypes, OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.07-2.44) , and heavy smokers (smoking index; > or =20) (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.02-3.71) and superficial smokers (taking smoke into the mouth only) (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.02-5.80) with 399Gln allele demonstrated a significantly increased risk in comparison with those carrying wild genotype.

CONCLUSIONXRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism might contribute to the susceptibility to PCa. The Arg/Gln and Gln/Gln genotypes might increase the risk of PCa and have synergistic effect with smoking.