TERT polymorphism rs2853669 influences on lung cancer risk in the Korean population

Short telomeres are known as one of the risk factors for human cancers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the association between 6 polymorphisms, which were related with short telomere length in the Korean population, and lung cancer risk using 1,100 cases and 1,096 controls. Among the 6 polymorphisms, TERT rs2853669 was significantly associated with increased lung cancer risk under a recessive model (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.81, P = 0.02). The effect of rs2853669 on lung cancer risk was significant in younger individuals (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.18-2.54, P = 0.005) and adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.07-2.07, P = 0.02). Our results suggest that a common functional promoter polymorphism, TERT rs2853669, may influence both telomere length and lung cancer risk in the Korean population.