Prognostic importance of vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression and vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms in epithelial ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) play a central role in angiogenesis and consequently, in various steps of ovarian carcinogenesis. Gene polymorphisms within the VEGF system have revealed a correlation with prognosis in some malignancies. The aim of the present study was to examine the possible importance of 2 VEGF polymorphisms and VEGF-A expression in ovarian cancer.


METHODS
We investigated 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms VEGF +405G/C and VEGF -460C/T by polymerase chain reaction and also analyzed VEGF-A expression by immunohistochemistry in 159 women with ovarian cancer.


RESULTS
Vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression revealed a significant correlation with survival in a Cox proportional hazards regression model (P = 0.012). Germline polymorphisms were not correlated with clinicopathological parameters such as stage, type, and histology. Heterozygous genotype in VEGF +405G/C predicted a better survival compared with homozygous genotypes (P = 0.034), and the heterozygous genotype in VEGF -460C/T pointed to the same direction. A multivariate analysis also indicated that heterozygosity of either of the 2 polymorphisms held independent prognostic significance (P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms +405G/C and VEGF expression seem to have independent prognostic importance.
Smerdel
Maja Patricia
MP
Department of Oncology, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark. Maja.Patricia.Smerdel@slb.regionsyddanmark.dk
Waldstrøm
Marianne
M
Brandslund
Ivan
I
Steffensen
Karina Dahl
KD
Andersen
Rikke Fredslund
RF
Jakobsen
Anders
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A