A single nucleotide polymorphism CTSB rs12898 is associated with primary hepatic cancer in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Primary hepatic cancer (PHC) is a common malignant tumor and the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic cancer remain unknown. CTSB is considered a biomarker of cancer as it can facilitate tumor progression. We aimed to investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms of potential regulatory SNPs in the CTSB gene and PHC. METHODS: The relationship between CTSB rs12898 and PHC was analyzed in a case-control study with a Chinese population of 608 PHC patients and 608 healthy individuals using SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: PHC was significantly associated with alcohol consumption (P A may play a role in the pathogenesis of PHC, and may be a marker for susceptibility to PHC.