Functional vascular endothelial growth factor − 2578 C/A polymorphism in relation to nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk and tumor progression

BackgroundVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a mitogen for endothelial cells and a potent regulator of angiogenesis and inflammatory processes in nasopharyngeal carcinomas. In the current report, we designed a case-controlled study to evaluate whether a genetically predetermined variation in the VEGF expression may affect susceptibility and prognosis.MethodsA PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the variation of the − 2578 C/A promoter region in a Tunisian population of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) and in healthy control subjects.ResultsA significantly risk of NPC was observed for carriers of VEGF − 2578 C allele (OR = 1.4; P = 0.03). Regarding prognostic indicators, a significant association was found between − 2578 C allele carriers and the aggressive forms of NPC as defined by large tumor size (OR = 2.29; P = 0.0002) and advanced tumor stages (OR = 1.97; P = 0.02). Moreover, an association was ascertained between the VEGF polymorphism and gender.ConclusionsThis is the first report on the studies of functional VEGF polymorphisms in NPC and our preliminary data suggest that this genetic variant may play a role in mediating susceptibility to NPC, as well as, in neoplastic progression, supporting our hypothesis for VEGF involvement in NPC etiology.