Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between immune-related gene (FCRL3, NLRP3  and IL2 ) polymorphisms and the risk of head and neck cancer (HNC).
Methods: Six polymorphisms of FCRL3, NLRP3  and IL2  were genotyped in 400 HNC cases and 400 controls using a MassARRAY platform.
Results: rs11264799-T was a protective variant against HNC risk, while rs7528684-G, rs35829419-A and rs6822844-T were all risk alleles for HNC (p < 0.05). rs11264799-TT was correlated with reduced HNC risk, while rs7528684-GG and rs6822844-TG were associated with an elevated risk of disease (p < 0.05). Moreover, rs11264799 was correlated with a declining risk of HNC in three genetic models (p < 0.05). In contrast, rs7528684 exhibited an elevated risk of HNC in recessive and additive models; rs35829419 and rs6822844 were associated with an increased risk of disease in dominant and additive models (p < 0.05). Finally, an interaction was observed between the above SNPs and drinking (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results expand our knowledge on immune-related gene polymorphisms in HNC and provide clues for further functional study on the pathogenesis of HNC.
Keywords: head and neck cancer, HNC, Fc receptor-like 3, FCRL3, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3, NLRP3, interleukin 2, IL2, genetic polymorphisms