The aromatase P450 (coded by the CYP19 gene) is responsible for the ra
te limiting step in the metabolism of C19 steroids to estrogens and is
expressed in most breast carcinomas. A polymorphic tetranucleotide re
peat (TTTA)(n) in intron 5, about 80 nucleotides downstream of exon 4
has previously been described. The allele frequencies of the polymorph
ic repeat were studied in series of 182 sporadic and 185 familial brea
st cancer patients as well as in 252 healthy control individuals. Five
different alleles containing 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12-TTTA-repeats were det
ected. A relatively rare allele (Al) containing the longest repeat (TT
TA)(12) was found significantly more frequently in breast cancer patie
nts than in control individuals. This indicates that individuals carry
ing the Al allele of CYP19 may have an increased risk of developing br
east cancer, OR 2.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-5.80). The hig
her frequency was observed in both sporadic and familial patients, alt
hough when each of the groups was compared to the control group only a
borderline significance was seen. A higher frequency of Al allele car
riers was also found in the group of patients with positive estrogen r
eceptor and progesterone receptor positive tumors. These data suggest
that the CYP19 gene may be involved as a low penetrance gene in breast
cancer susceptibility. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall Ltd.