G84E germline mutation in HOXB13 gene is associated with increased prostate cancer risk in Polish men

We tested the association between HOXB13 G84E (rs138213197) germline mutation and PC risk in Polish men.

DNA from 103 consecutive, newly diagnosed patients hospitalised because of PC and DNA from 103 men: volunteers, healthy at the time of the study.

The G84E mutation was genotyped using Sanger sequencing.

The HOXB13 G84E germline mutation was detected in 2.9% of PC men (3/103) and not detected in any healthy man. Two mutation carriers originated from two of 25 families fulfilling hereditary prostate cancer criteria (HPC) and one mutation carrier from one family among 78 families without HPC (PC frequency: 8% vs. 1.3%, OR = 6.70, p = 0.13). In two of three mutation carriers, disease was detected above 60 years of age. There was a trend for a lower probability of 5-year survival in patients with G84E than in patients without it (66.7% vs. 94.0%, p = 0.08).

The HOXB13 G84E germline mutation is associated with increased prostate cancer risk in Polish men, with hereditary form of the disease, and probably with older age at PC onset (> 60 years of age) and shorter survival. However, it is not associated with PSA level, or PC stage or grade at the time of diagnosis.