VEGF polymorphisms are not associated with an increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma in Spanish population.

PURPOSE

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in promoting angiogenesis and is over-expressed in renal cell cancer (RCC). Published data on the association between polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor (e.g., -2578C/A [rs699947], -460T/C [rs833061], +405C/G [rs2010963], and +936C/T [rs3025039]) and the risk of renal cell carcinoma are ambiguous and controversial. The aim of this investigation was to investigate this relationship in a series of Caucasian Spanish patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A case-control study was performed with 216 cases and 280 controls, genotyping subjects for VEGF polymorphisms using the predesigned TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). The combined effect of the four gene polymorphisms on overall survival was studied by haplotype analysis.

RESULTS

The overall results suggest that polymorphisms or haplotypes in the VEGF gene do not modify the risk of RCC. We were unable to replicate the association of the -460T/C (rs833061) polymorphism with renal cancer risk. Data were also gathered on clinical-pathological results, tumor size, clinical stage, histological grade, and survival.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our analysis of their contribution to prognostic factors, VEGF polymorphisms do not appear to exert a significant influence on RCC progression or prognosis. This finding might be explained by the tumor biology and pathogenesis of clear cell RCC. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed in different ethnic groups to further assess this association.