Dear Editor, we would like to share ideas on the publication Implications of risk conferred by 5p15.33 loci genetic variants; human telomerase reverse transcriptase rs2736098 and rs2736100 in predisposition of bladder cancer [1]. Anwar et al. sought to clarify the genetic basis for bladder cancer in two significant human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene variants, rs2736098 and rs2736100 [1]. Anwar et al. came to the conclusion that the polymorphic hTERT rs2736098 variant plays a critical role in conferring a significant risk to bladder cancer in our group. Additionally, the hTERT haplotypes CA and AG inhTERT may prove to be a useful tool for screening the bladder cancer risk [1]. We concur that the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) under investigation may influence cancer risk. It is important to keep in mind that there could be additional complicating variables. There are additional genetic variations that Anwar et al. did not examine but which could have a confounding effect on the results of the current investigation. These genetic polymorphisms include changes in the cyclophilin family peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (CYP8), interleukin 8 (IL-8) (+781 C/T), and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP-2) (–735 C/T) genes [2–3].
Conflict of interest
None declared.