Cyp17 genetic polymorphism in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Steroid hormones, especially androgens, are believed to play a key role in the etiology of prostate cancer. Therefore, polymorphisms in genes involved in the androgen metabolism may affect the risk of prostate cancer. One such gene is CYP17, which encodes the cytochrome P450c17alpha enzyme that mediates both 17alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase in the steroid biosynthesis pathway. A polymorphism in the 5'-promoter region of the CYP17 gene has been associated with increased risk for prostate cancer. The T to C transition in the risk allele creates a new recognition site for the restriction enzyme MspA1. In this study we investigated the distribution of this polymorphism in the Turkish population and its association with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Genotype frequencies in the patients with prostate cancer or prostatic hyperplasia and the control group were not significantly different. Our data provide no evidence for an association between prostate cancer risk and the CYP17 gene polymorphism.