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Genetic link to cervical tumours

Nature volume 400, pages 29–30 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Cervical cancer is strongly associated with infection by oncogenic types of human papilloma virus (HPV). But only a small fraction of those infected develop cancer, indicating that other factors contribute to the progression to cervical cancer. We have compared incidence of the disease in relatives of cases of cervical tumour and controls, and find a significant familial clustering among biological, but not adoptive, relatives. We find no difference in the risk to siblings who have a mother or father in common, so the clustering cannot be explained by vertical transmission of HPV from mother to child. These results provide epidemiological evidence of a genetic predisposition to cervical cancer.

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Figure 1: Relative risk of cervical tumour (and 95% exact confidence interval) for relatives of cases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics and Pathology, Section for Medical Genetics, Box 589

    Patrik K. E. Magnusson & Ulf B. Gyllensten

  2. University of Uppsala, Uppsala, S-751 23, Sweden

    Patrik K. E. Magnusson & Ulf B. Gyllensten

  3. Department of Medical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institute, Box 281, Stockholm, S-171 77, Sweden

    Pär Sparén

Authors
  1. Patrik K. E. Magnusson
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  2. Pär Sparén
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  3. Ulf B. Gyllensten
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Magnusson, P., Sparén, P. & Gyllensten, U. Genetic link to cervical tumours. Nature 400, 29–30 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/21801

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