Association of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 promoter polymorphism with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract 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.