title: Functional FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism predicts prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) is a member of a family of transmembrane receptors with ligand-induced tyrosine kinase activity. The Gly388Arg polymorphism in the FGFR4 gene was reported to modulate cancer cell migration in vitro and to be associated with breast, colon, and prostate cancer prognostic parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of the FGFR4 polymorphism in lung tumorigenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was performed including 274 patients with histologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma and 401 healthy control subjects from general population. mRNA expression analysis was carried out in healthy lung of cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with the Arg/Arg or Gly/Arg genotype compared to those with a Gly/Gly genotype had an earlier age at cancer onset (median age, 60.2 v 63.4 years), higher proportion of poor clinical stage disease (hazard ratio [HR], 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.9; P = .002), of nodal involvement (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.2; P = .027), or of short-term survivors (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.3; P = .008). In healthy lungs, FGFR4 did not show allele-specific expression and mRNA levels were not associated with genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism may predict prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Via G. Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinola
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leoni
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pignatiello
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravagnani
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pastorino
authors.forename: Tommaso A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Dragani
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D051499:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C496371:FGFR4 protein, human; D051499:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4