Objective: To explore a possible association between estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) gene polymorphisms and development of uterine leiomyomas.
Design: Case-control study.
Setting: University teaching hospital.
Patient(s): 119 women with clinically and surgically diagnosed uterine leiomyomas.
Intervention(s): Therapeutic hysterectomy.
Main outcome measure(s): Frequency and distribution of ER-alpha gene polymorphisms.
Result(s): No statistically significant differences between controls and patients in the allele frequency and genotype distribution were found when Pvu II and Xba I restriction polymorphism sites were analyzed separately. When the two ER-alpha gene polymorphisms were analyzed in combination, five major genotypes were recognized in controls or patients; the frequency differed slightly but not significantly between groups.
Conclusion(s): The Pvu II and Xba I polymorphisms in the ER-alpha gene do not produce different risks of developing uterine leiomyomas.