Abstract

Etiology of cervical cancer is associated with excessive inflammation mediated tumorigenesis. Pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α, TNFA and interleukin, IL-10) are involved in fighting against the tumorigenesis. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the association of TNFA (−308G>A) and IL-10 (−819C>T) gene polymorphism with risk of cervical cancer. One hundred fifty histopathologically confirmed patients with cervical cancer and 162 age, ethnically-matched cervical cytology negative healthy controls were genotyped for TNFA (−308 G>A) and IL-10 (−819 C>T) polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP. Individuals with combination of TNFA -308GA+AA genotype and A allele were at elevated risk of cervical cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 2.24; P = 0.018 and OR, 2.05; P = 0.012). Frequency of IL-10 −819CT+TT genotype combination and T allele was slightly higher in cases as compared with controls but difference was not significant (OR = 1.52; P = 0.069 and OR = 1.38; P = 0.051). In association of genotypes with clinical characteristics, presence of TNFA −308GA+AA genotype conferred high risk for the stages (IB) (OR = 2.86, P = 0.039) and stages (III) (OR = 2.52; P = 0.015) of cervical cancer. In contrast, IL-10 -819TT genotype was not associated with higher risk of clinical characteristics of cervical cancer. In conclusion, individuals with TNFA −308*A allele carriers were at significantly higher risk of cervical cancer particularly early (IB) and advanced stages (III). However, IL-10 (−819C>T) polymorphism was not associated with risk of cervical cancer.