The p53 codon 72 polymorphism in black South African women and the risk ofcervical cancer

The p53 codon 72 genotype was examined in blood samples taken from 121 Zulu -speaking black South African women with histologically proven squamous car cinoma of the cervix. Freshly biopsied tumour tissue was also available for human papillomavirus subtyping from 100 of these women. A control group co nsisted of 251 healthy race-matched women attending a contraceptive service facility. The results show that there were no statistically significant di fferences in the frequency of the homozygous arginine genotype between pati ents with cancer of cervix, irrespective of human papillomavirus status, an d healthy controls. This finding suggests that the arginine allele does not predispose towards viral tumour genesis in this population, and supports t he findings of research done in other ethnic groups.