Association of hTERT MNS16A polymorphism with clinical outcomes of North Indian lung cancer patients undergoing platinum-based doublet chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND

Telomerase has been linked to aging and cancer. The MNS16A polymorphism in the hTERT gene plays a significant role in modulating telomerase activity and highlights the complexity of telomere-related genetics in cancer research.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We genotyped 401 lung-cancer samples treated with platinum-based chemotherapy to identify the MNS16A polymorphism. We assessed overall survival using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis for adjusted hazard ratios. Stratified analyses evaluated risks for subgroups based on clinicopathologic parameters, outcomes, and toxicity calculated.

RESULTS

Our findings show no significant link between MNS16A polymorphism and lung-cancer survival. However, in squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) patients, the SS genotype was associated with poorer survival (p = 0.004). Patients with LS + SS genotypes responded better to gemcitabine in univariate (p = 0.003) and multivariate analyses (p = 0.014). The LS genotype was linked to a lower risk of progression to stage 4 (p = 0.011) and metastasis (p = 0.015) but an increased risk of T4 tumor size (p = 0.026). No significant correlations were found between MNS16A polymorphism and treatment-related toxicities.

CONCLUSION

The MNS16A polymorphism does not significantly impact overall lung-cancer survival but affects specific subgroups, influencing certain lung-cancer subtypes and treatment responses while having limited predictive value for overall outcomes or toxicity risks.