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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global public health problem. Folate metabolism is involved in DNA synthesis, repair and methylation. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in folate metabolism. Common MTHFR C677T polymorphism was correlated to CRC. This case-control study was conducted to analyze the association between this polymorphism and the risk of sporadic CRC in a Moroccan population. The study involved 76 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer confirmed histologically and 182 patients (control group) without a history of cancer. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated from peripheral blood and genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP. The risk of association was estimated using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval. Genotype frequency of MTHFR in patients and in the control group was CC 34.1%, CT 56.6%, TT 9.21%, CC 51.6%, CT 42.8% and TT 6% respectively. CT genotype and its combination with TT genotype and allele T were associated with an increased risk of CRC and with an OR of 2.02 (with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-3.58, p = 0.01), 2.05 (95 % CI: 1.18-3.58, p= 0.01) and 1.61 (95% CI: 1.07-2.40, p=0.02). Homozygous TT weren´t a protection factor in our study, with an OR of 2.30 (95% CI: 0.81-6.52, p = 0.11). There was a statistically significant association between the MTHFR C677T variant and the risk of occurrence of sporadic colorectal cancer in the studied population., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d´intérêts., (Copyright: Imane Baghad et al.)

Background: Venous thrombosis has been described as a common complication for cancer patients. The association between clotting factor gene polymorphisms and the risk of colorectal cancer has been evidenced. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of G20210A factor II prothrombin (FII) and factor V Leiden ( FVL) G1691A with the risk of colorectal cancer(CRC)., Methods and Results: Genotyping of FVL and G20210A FII was performed using the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method on a sample of 76 patients with CRC as well as 182 controls. No significant difference in FVL gene variations was observed between cases and controls. However, with regard to the G20210A FII, the homozygous mutated genotype AA was associated with an increased risk of CRC. A significant association between the G20210A FII mutation and the risk of CRC was identified using recessive (OR=57.63, 95% CI: 3.33-997.26, P=0.0053), dominant (OR=27.87, 95% CI: 12.67 -61.28, P<0, 0001) and additive (OR=21.24, 95% CI: 10.45-43.16, P<0, 0001) models. No statistical difference was observed in parameters such as sex, age and positive family history for cancer., Conclusion: Our results did not support an effect of FVL gene on CRC risk and suggested that the G20210A FII prothrombin gene variant may be a risk factor for CRC in Moroccan population., Competing Interests: Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no financial or nonfinancial competing interests.

Background & Aims: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the Milan criteria, liver transplantation (LT) may be the best therapeutic option. However, the shortage of grafts, leads to attempt liver resection (LR) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as a first-line treatment for patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis., Methods: We report results, obtained between 2000 and 2007 from a single center, involving 67 patients (mean age: 57 years) eligible for LT, who were treated with RFA, followed by LT if there was recurrence or liver failure., Results: Eighty three tumors were treated (mean size: 29±9 mm; 16 binodular forms). RFA achieved complete ablation in 96% of nodules. No mortality occurred. During a post-RFA median follow-up of 48 months, 38 patients experienced recurrence, corresponding to a 5-year recurrence rate of 58%. Of these, 14 patients did not receive a transplant because they fell outside the Milan criteria, 21 were transplanted, and 3 were treated by RFA after refusing LT. Binodularity (95% CI HR=2, 1.0-4.0; p=0.049) was the unique risk factor for recurrence. By the study's end-point, 24 patients had undergone LT (21 for HCC recurrence and three for liver failure). No HCC recurrence occurred after LT. Among the 43 non-transplant patients, 12 died due to HCC progression, and 27 were alive without detectable viable tumor. The probability rates for 5-year overall and tumor-free survival were 74% and 69%, respectively., Conclusions: First line RFA followed by salvage LT allows survival figures that are at least as good as a first-line LT, while limiting the number of grafts., (Copyright © 2011 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)