Polymorphisms of TGFB1 and VEGF genes and survival of patients with gastric cancer

• Published in: Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research 2009-06, Vol.28 (1), p.94-94, Article 94
• Main Authors: Guan, Xiaoxiang, Zhao, Hui, Niu, Jiangong, Tan, Dongfeng, Ajani, Jaffer A, Wei, Qingyi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Diagnosis; Genetic aspects; Genotype; Haplotypes; Health aspects; Humans; Linkage Disequilibrium; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Genetic; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Stomach cancer; Stomach Neoplasms - genetics; Stomach Neoplasms - metabolism; Survival Rate; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - genetics; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - metabolism; Transforming growth factors; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism
• ISSN: 1756-9966; 0392-9078; 1756-9966
• DOI: 10.1186/1756-9966-28-94

Some TGFB1 and VEGF polymorphisms are believed to be functional. Given that these genes are involved in tumor growth and progression including angiogenesis, dissemination, and invasiveness, we hypothesized that these polymorphisms would be associated with survival in patients with gastric cancer. We genotyped TGFB1 -509 C>T, +1869 T>C, and +915 G>C and VEGF -1498T>C, -634G>C, and +936C>T in 167 patients with gastric cancer. Using the Kaplan and Meier method, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard models, we evaluated associations among TGFB1 and VEGF variants with overall, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates. Although there were no significant differences in overall survival rates among all polymorphisms tested, patients with TGFB1+915CG and CC genotypes had a poorer 2-year survival (adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 3.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-8.62; P = 0.034) than patients with the GG genotype had. In addition, patients heterozygous for VEGF -634CG also had a poorer 1-year survival (adjusted HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.03-4.22; P = 0.042) than patients with the -634GG genotype. Our study suggested that TGFB1+915CG/CC and VEGF -634CG genotypes may be associated with short-term survival in gastric cancer patients. However, larger studies are needed to verify these findings.