Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancer pathologies in women. Genetic polymorphism of endothelial NO-synthase gene (eNOS) is considered to be associated with cancer development, in particular, with BC.
Aim. To study the influence of polymorphic variants of endothelial NO-synthase gene on the risk of BC development in Ukrainian women.
Materials and methods. In the study 131 patients with histologically proven diagnosis of breast cancer of I and II stages were enrolled. The control group was composed of 102 women without cancer. Polymorphic variants 4a/4b, G894T, T-786C of eNOS were studied with the use of PCR and PCR-RFLP methods.
Results. No statistically significant relationships were found between eNOS genotypes and breast cancer risk for common group. The results of analysis for common group and subgroups distributed by age are different. For women from 18 to 35 years old the significant differences were not found. For women from 36 to 54 years old an increased risk of BC development is determined by the presence of C-786 allele of eNOS gene. Decreased risk of BC development was associated with the presence of combined genotypes 4b/4b´G894T of eNOS. In women older than 54 years the significant differences were not found.
Conclusion. The results suggest that polymorphic variants of eNOS and their associations are prognostic markers for BC development in women from 36 to 54 years old. The results of analysis are different in total cohort and in subgroups distributed by age.