Abstract
The androgen receptor (
AR
) is involved in the differentiation and growth of many cancers. We hypothesized that two microsatellite polymorphic variants,
AR
(CAG)n and (GGN)n repeats, were also associated with the development of Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and Osteosarcoma. In current study, we conducted two case-control studies in a Chinese population to investigate the possible relationship between these two
AR
repeat polymorphisms and the risk of PTC and Osteosarcoma. The
AR
CAG repeat length was significantly associated with both risk of PTC and Osteosarcoma. Subjects with shorter
AR
CAG repeats had a higher risk of developing PTC (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.17–1.85,
P
= 0.001) and Osteosarcoma (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19–1.97,
P
= 9.2 × 10
–4
). Specifically, shorter GGN repeats also contribute a significant increased risk of Osteosarcoma (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03–1.77,
P
= 0.030). Our results contribute to a better understanding of the complex hormone related mechanisms underlying PTC and Osteosarcoma.