Lower Allele Frequency of TERT-rs2242652 in Sub-Saharan African Populations Compared With American Populations and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk

PURPOSE – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The higher incidence and earlier onset of HCC in sub-Saharan Africa suggest a potential role for a genetic predisposition. This study evaluated the association of TERT-rs2242652-(A), a variant linked to lower HCC risk, with HCC in populations from Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon, compared with a population from the United States.METHODS – The study included 537 patients with HCC: United States (n = 348), Ghana (n = 79), Nigeria (n = 43), and Cameroon (n = 67). The control group had 2, 872 cancer-free individuals: United States (n = 2, 399), Ghana (n = 323), Nigeria (n = 85), and Cameroon (n = 65). Whole-exome sequencing was conducted using germline DNA, and data for TERT-rs2242652 were analyzed. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Chi-square tests assessed protective allele frequencies.RESULTS – In the US cohort, TERT-rs2242652 was significantly associated with lower HCC risk (OR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.58 to 0.96]; P = .02), with an allele frequency of 18.8% (15.4% in HCC cases v 19.3% in controls). In the combined sub-Saharan African population, no significant association was observed, but there was a trend toward decreased HCC risk (OR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.53 to 1.22]; P = .29), with an allele frequency of 12.2% (10.6% in HCC cases v 12.9% in controls). Separate analyses of Ghanaian, Nigerian, and Cameroonian populations showed similar nonsignificant trends. The protective allele frequency in the combined African populations was significantly lower than in the US cohort (P < .0001).CONCLUSION – In sub-Saharan African populations, there was a lower frequency of the HCC protective allele TERT-rs2242652 compared with European Americans. These findings underscore the importance of multiethnic genetic studies in understanding population differences in HCC risk and developing prevention strategies.