Associations of cytosine deaminase gene polymorphisms with effectiveness of gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy in patients of Xinjiang Uyghur and Han nationality with non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Cytidine deaminase (CDA) polymorphisms may affect the response to gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study is designed to investigate the associations of CDA-79A>C and 208G>A polymorphisms and gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy effectiveness in Xinjiang Uyghur and Han patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled consecutive patients with stage IIIb/IV NSCLC administered gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Shihezi University and the First People’s Hospital, Kashgar Region. CDA-A79C and CDA-G208A polymorphisms were detected by direct sequencing. Progression-free survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations of A79C and G208A polymorphisms with treatment effectiveness and progression-free survival were analyzed using logistic regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Subgroup analyses based on ethnicity were performed. Results: The study enrolled 120 patients. A79C and G208A polymorphisms followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies of the AA, AC, and CC genotypes and the A and C alleles of A79C were 52.2%, 29.9%, 17.9%, 67.2%, and 32.8%, respectively, in Han patients and 75.4%, 18.9%, 5.7%, 84.9%, and 5.1%, respectively, in Uyghur patients. Uyghur patients had lower frequencies of A79C-AC/CC genotypes, A79C-C allele, G208A-GA genotype, and G208A-A allele ( P<0.05). Compared with A79C-AA, the odds of ineffective chemotherapy were increased for A79C-AC (odds ratio [OR] 2.818; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.031, 7.705; P=0.043) and A79C-CC (OR 9.864; 95% CI 1.232, 78.966; P=0.031). G208A polymorphisms did not influence chemotherapy effectiveness. Chemotherapy was more effective in Han patients than in Uyghur patients for A79C-AC and G208A-GG. Progression-free survival was longer for A79C-AA versus A79C-AC/CC (10 vs. 7 months, P=0.004) and G208A-GA/AA vs. G208A-AA (12 vs. 8 months, P=0.010). Polymorphisms of A79C (hazard ratio [HR] 1.617; 95% CI 1.009, 2.592; P=0.046) and G208A (HR 2.193; 95% CI 1.055, 4.557; P=0.035) were associated with progression-free survival. Conclusion: For Uyghur and Han ethnic groups, A79C and G208A polymorphisms can be used as a promising biomarker for the chemotherapy efficacy and prognosis of NSCLC.