Correlation between 2D:4D, oral squamous cell carcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma / Correlação entre a proporção 2D:4D, carcinoma espinocelular oral e adenocarcinoma de prostata

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

The ratio between the index and ring finger, also called 2D:4D, has been attributed by researchers as a possible marker for a plethora of conditions involving human behavior, psychological traits and gender-linked diseases. The difference between these fingers is established in utero, seems not to be affected by puberty and reflects an important factor – intra-uterine exposure to sex hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. The link between finger development and exposure to testosterone or estrogen seems to be connected in the action of the Homeobox gene family, which is crucial for the development of both fingers and urogenital system. It is also postulated that finger length may be connected to nucleotide sequences of the androgen receptor gene. This study aimed to evaluate the possible association between 2D:4D and the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma and prostate cancer, as well as to establish a normal pattern for this ratio in a population of Piracicaba – SP. A sum of 265 subjects between 18 and 80 years of age had photographs of their right hands taken by a digital camera using a standardizing device. They also responded to a questionnaire regarding habits as tobacco and alcohol consumption, frequency of preventive cancer examination, and incidence of hormonal disturbances. All photographs were taken by a single examiner. Individuals were assigned to five groups, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n=50), pre-malignant lesions (PML, n=50), no lesion (NOL, n=50), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, n=49) and prostate cancer (PCA, n=27), subdivided by gender. Statistical analysis was performed by means of Student’s t test and ANOVA on Microsoft Excel®. Finger length ratio was significantly lower for males (p=0,03). We found a significantly negative correlation between 2D:4D and the prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma and a significantly positive correlation between 2D:4D and pre-malignant lesions in women (p=0.04 and p=0.02 respectively). Male patients with prostate cancer presented higher prevalence of prostate cancer when compared to patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and patients without prostatic lesions, but this was not significant. Finger length ratio and its relation to oral and prostatic lesions is still in early development. Research may contribute in the future as an additional factor regarding the influence of classically known etiological factors and as an educational factor for patients under risk of developing such diseases. Additional research is still necessary to confirm the validity of this correlation.

ASSUNTO(S)

mouth prostatic cancer boca - câncer cancer de prostata

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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