MDM2 gene is a negative regulator of tumor suppressor gene p53. Over-expression of MDM2 can result in inactivation of p53 and diminish its suppressor function. In this case, cells can be damaged to escape the cell-cycle check-point control and become carcinogenic. Recently, the SNP309 T G, rs 2279744 (MDM2 - SNP309), in intron 1 was found to increased the MDM2 level. A number of studies have explored whether SNP309 was associated with the risk of different types of cancer. In this study, the authors examined the genotypes distribution of MDM2 SNP309 in 167 hepatocellular carcinoma and 81 noncancer controls of Vietnam by RFLP - PCR method. The result showed that G/G genotype has a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma than T/T genotype (OR = 1.97, 95 percent, CI = 0.92 - 4.21). The mean age of tumor onset in patients with G/G genotype was 8.83 years earlier than the T/T wild type genotype (p 0.05
95 percent).