Polymorphism of the IL-8 gene and the risk of ovarian cancer

Abstract Ovarian cancer still represents a challenge in gynecological oncology. Most patients are diagnosed in an advanced tumor stage. No specific screening or prevention strategies for ovarian cancer exist as of yet. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is a pro-inflammatory chemokine known for its angiogenetic activity, and is supposedly responsible for tumor-associated angiogenesis in several malignant tumors. The aim of the study was to investigate the susceptibility of patients with an IL-8 gene polymorphism to developing ovarian cancer. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (IL-8 −251, IL-8 +781, IL-8 +1633 and IL-8 +2767) of the IL-8 gene were screened, using the PCR method in 268 patients with ovarian cancer and 426 healthy women as a control group. Significant associations were noted in patients with the IL-8 +781 (T/T) genotype ( p  = 0.0048) with increased frequencies of ovarian cancer, while women with the IL-8 +781 (C/C) allele suffer from ovarian cancer significantly less frequently ( p  = 0.0003). Furthermore, the IL-8 +2767 (T/T) genotype is also associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer ( p  = 0.0177). Our results indicate, for the first time, that IL-8 polymorphism is associated with ovarian cancer.