title: A common 936 C/T gene polymorphism of vascular endothelial growth factor is associated with decreased breast cancer risk.
abstract: A common 936 C/T polymorphism in the gene for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been associated with VEGF plasma levels. In our case-control study, we investigated the role of this polymorphism for breast cancer risk. VEGF genotype was determined in 500 women with breast cancer and 500 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects. Carriers of a 936T-allele were more frequent among controls (29.4%) than among patients (17.6%; p = 0.000014). The odds ratio for carriers of a 936T-allele for breast cancer was 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.38-0.70). Additionally, VEGF plasma levels were determined in 21 nonsmoking post-menopausal controls; carriers of a 936T allele had significantly lower levels (median 23 pg/ml; range 6-50 pg/ml) than noncarriers (37; 21-387; p = 0.034). We conclude that carriers of a VEGF 936T-allele are at decreased risk for breast cancer, this, however, requiring further confirmation in a larger study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krippl
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Langsenlehner
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yazdani-Biuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wascher
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Landeskrankenanstalten Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paulweber
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Hellmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Samonigg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors