Impact of thrombophilic genes mutations on thrombosis risk in Egyptian nonmetastatic cancer patients.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in cancer patients. Several genetic risk factors related to thrombophilia are known; however, their contributions to thrombotic tendency in cancer patients have conflicting results. We aimed to determine the prevalence of factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin (PTH) G20210A and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T gene polymorphisms in Egyptian nonmetastatic cancer patients and their influence on thrombosis risk in those patients. Factor V Leiden, PTH G20210A and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms were detected in 40 cancer patients with VTE (group 1) and 40 cancer patients with no evidence of VTE (group 2) by PCR-based DNA analysis. Factor V and MTHFR mutations were higher in group 1 than in group 2 (factor V heterozygous mutation: 20 vs. 7.5%, homozygous mutation: 10 vs. 2.5%; MTHFR heterozygous mutation: 40 vs. 25%, homozygous mutation 5 vs. 0%, respectively) (P = 0.03). Mortality rate was higher in group 1 (75%) than in group 2 (25%; P < 0.001). No difference was found between those groups regarding PTH mutation (P = 1). Mortality rate was higher in the presence of homozygous and heterozygous factor V mutation (100 and 82%, respectively) compared to the wild type (41%) (P = 0.0006). Having any of the three studied gene mutations worsened the overall survival (P = 0.0003). Cox regression proved that both thrombosis and presence of factor V mutation are independent factors affecting survival in cancer patients (P < 0.001 and P = 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, there is an association between factor V and MTHFR mutations and risk of VTE in Egyptian cancer patients. Thrombosis and presence of factor V mutation are independent factors that influence survival in those patients.