title: Epidermal growth factor genetic variation associated with advanced cervical cancer in younger women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates cell proliferation by binding to its receptor (epidermal growth factor receptor), and the overexpression of this receptor is associated with poorer prognosis. The EGF gene presents a polymorphism at position 61 (A/G), associated with higher EGF production. We examined the association between this polymorphism and cervical cancer through a case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method on a sample of 384 women with cervical lesions and 500 controls of white ethnicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cases of cervical cancer, we found an increased risk of progression to advanced disease (The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIb/IV) (odds ratios=2.05; 95% confidence intervals=1.11 to 3.79; P=0.021), and this risk was particularly evident in G carriers for younger women (odds ratios=2.96; 95% confidence intervals=1.41-6.20, P=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We hypothesize the onset of an advanced disease-driven selective pressure due to the effect of oncogenic human papillomavirus types in a favorable genetic background observed in G carrier women. These results suggest that EGF functional polymorphism may influence cervical cancer prognosis through an EGF/epidermal growth factor receptor pathway.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Group, Department of Medical Oncology, Portuguese Institute of Oncology-Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Catarino
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Deolinda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D004247:DNA; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors