Association of a Genetic Variant in the Adenosine Triphosphate Transmembrane Glycoprotein and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive neoplasms with a poor prognosis. The association of multidrug resistance genes, MDR1/ABCB1, with the poor outcomes of several malignancies has been reported, which can be explained at least in part by a reduction in the transportation of drugs and their metabolites. Here, we explore the association of a genetic variant, rs2032582, in the ABCB1 gene with the risk of developing PC. Methods: Seventy-five patients and 188 controls were recruited. DNA was extracted followed by genotyping using Taqman® real-time polymerase chain reaction-based method. Kaplan-Meier and Cox models analysis showed that there is no significant association between genetic models and overall survival (OS) (P=0.32). Results: The frequencies of AA, AC, and CC genotypes of the variant were 29.7%, 42.2%, and 28.1%, respectively in the PC group, while the frequencies of the genotypes were 32.4%, 54.8%, and 12.8%, respectively, in the control group. Individuals with the AA genotype had an increased risk of developing PC {e.g., dominant genetic model [CC versus AA + AC: OS ± standard deviation (SD): 28±5.8 versus 50.8±6.7 months] with odds ratio (OR) of 2.67 (CI =1.33–5.34, P=0.005)}. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the association of the ABCB1 variant with an increased risk of PC. Further studies in a larger sample size and multi-center setting are suggested to explore the prognostic value of emerging marker PC.