u-PA Gene SNPs and Susceptibility to Oral SCC in the Northern Chinese Han Population

Head and neck cancer is a disease arising in various organs, including oral cavity, tongue, pharynx, and larynx. Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer and is the major cause of death among all forms of head and neck cancer globally (Lippman et al., 2005; Parkin et al., 2005; Sudbo and Reith, 2005). In this study, we focused on OSCC, which is significantly more aggressive than other forms of head and neck cancer because of its rapid local invasion and spread (Franceschi et al., 1993). Genetic factors , such as mutat ions in the metalloproteinase gene, u-PA gene, IL-8 gene, and SCEL gene, are thought to be associated with carcinoma of the tongue (Zhang et al., 2011). The altered genes might be involved in the changes in cell adhesion or motility in invasive cells (Zhang et al., 2011). The u-PA gene encodes urokinase-type plasminogen activator, which converts plasminogen to plasmin. This system plays an important role in the processes leading to cancer cell invasion and metastasis (Chapman, 1997). The present investigation comprehensively explored the association between OSCC and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the u-PA gene in the Northern Chinese Han population.