Gender-specific association of the VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism in Korean patients with colon cancer.
BACKGROUND
Angiogenesis is involved in the development of cancer, promoting tumor growth, invasiveness and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor. The present case control study was carried out, to determine whether there is an association between the VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism and colon cancer.


METHODS
DNA samples taken from 246 patients with colon cancer and 203 healthy controls were amplified by polymerase chain reaction for VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism.


RESULTS
Genotype frequencies of the VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism were not significantly different between patient and control groups. However, when the data were stratified by gender, the frequency of the -2578CA + AA (A allele-bearing) genotype was marginally significant different with protective effect for colon cancer in women (odds ratio, OR, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.36-0.99; p = 0.056). The -2578CA + AA genotype was also associated with reduced risk in patients with proximal colon cancer (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.97; p = 0.049). This association also remained in women with proximal colon cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism had no influence on susceptibility to colon cancer, some genotypes showed a significant difference between the case and control groups when the data were stratified by gender and the original location of tumor, suggesting that the VEGF -2578C > A polymorphism, at least in Koreans, is a genetic determinant of colon cancer risk.
Park
Hye Mi
HM
Institute for Clinical Research, Bundang CHA General Hospital, College of Medicine, Pochon CHA University, Seongnam, South Korea.
Hong
Seung Ho
SH
Kim
Jong Woo
JW
Oh
Doyeun
D
Hwang
Seong Gyu
SG
An
Hee Jung
HJ
Kim
Un-Kyung
UK
Kim
Nam Keun
NK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A