Genetic polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor gene and breast cancer risk. The Austrian “tumor of breast tissue: incidence, genetics, and environmental risk factors” study

• Published in: Breast cancer research and treatment 2008-05, Vol.109 (2), p.297-304
• Main Authors: Langsenlehner, Uwe, Wolf, Gerald, Langsenlehner, Tanja, Gerger, Armin, Hofmann, Günter, Clar, Heimo, Wascher, Thomas C., Paulweber, Bernhard, Samonigg, Hellmut, Krippl, Peter, Renner, Wilfried
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Austria - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - blood; Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Cancer research; Case-Control Studies; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Exposure; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype & phenotype; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Haplotypes; Humans; Incidence; Linkage Disequilibrium; Male; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Preclinical Study; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Factors; Tumors; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics
• ISSN: 0167-6806; 1573-7217
• DOI: 10.1007/s10549-007-9655-z

Purpose Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key regulator of tumor-induced angiogenesis and is required for growth of tumors. We tested the hypothesis that VEGF gene polymorphisms may be associated with breast cancer. Experimental design We performed a case–control study including 804 female incident breast cancer patients and 804 female age-matched healthy control subjects. We selected seven VEGF candidate polymorphisms and determined genotypes by 5′-nuclease (TaqMan) assays. Furthermore, VEGF plasma levels and genotypes were analyzed in a group of 81 healthy volunteers (64 men and 17 women). Results Haplotype analysis showed two separate blocks of high-linkage disequilibrium, formed by five polymorphisms upstream of the coding sequence (promoter and 5′ untranslated region) and two polymorphisms downstream of the coding sequence. None of the single polymorphisms or haplotypes was significantly associated with the presence of breast cancer. After Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, only one statistical signifcant association between VEGF genotypes and haplotypes and tumor characteristics was observed (-634C allele and small tumor size; p