The G(-248)A polymorphism in the promoter region of the Bax gene was recently associated with low Bax expression, more advanced stage, treatment resistance and short overall survival in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the latter particularly in treated patients. To investigate this further, we analyzed 463 CLL patients regarding the presence or absence of the G(-248)A polymorphism and correlated with overall survival, treatment status and known prognostic factors, for example, Binet stage, V H mutation status and genomic aberrations. In this material, similar allele and genotype frequencies of the Bax polymorphism were demonstrated in CLL patients and controls (n ¼ 207), where 19 and 21% carried this polymorphism, respectively, and no skewed distribution of the polymorphism was evident between different Binet stages and V H mutated and unmutated CLLs. Furthermore, no difference in overall survival was shown between patients displaying the G(-248)A polymorphism or not (median survival 85 and 102 months, respectively, P ¼ 0.21), and the polymorphism did not influence outcome specifically in treated CLL. Neither did the polymorphism affect outcome in prognostic subsets defined by V H mutation status or genomic aberrations. In conclusion, the pathogenic role and clinical impact of the Bax polymorphism is limited in CLL.

No abstract