Telomere length and genetic analyses in population‐based studies of endometrial cancer risk

BACKGROUND: Telomeres are protective structures at the ends of linear chromosomes, regulated by a host of associated proteins. When telomeres become dysfunctional, genomic instability ensues. The vast majority of cells undergo apoptosis, although a rare cell may survive and become tumorigenic. METHODS: The authors used conditional logistic regression to examine relative telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes, genetic variants at telomere maintenance gene loci ( TERT , TNKS2 , POT1 , TERF1 , TERF2 ), and endometrial cancer risk in case‐control studies nested within the Nurses' Health Study and the Women's Health Study. RESULTS: Relative telomere length was significantly inversely correlated with body mass index and weight gain since age 18 years. The authors did not observe a relationship between relative telomere length and endometrial cancer risk. Women in the shortest quartile had a multivariate‐adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.20 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.73‐1.96; P for trend = .37) compared with women in the longest quartile. The authors found an elevation in endometrial cancer risk among women carrying at least 1 minor allele of RS2736122 ( TERT; OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01‐1.38) or RS12412538 ( TNKS2 ; OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00‐1.34). CONCLUSIONS: Relative telomere length was not associated with endometrial cancer risk. Other aspects of telomere maintenance remain to be explored. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.