Associations between gene polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor and prostate cancer

Abstract

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between selected polymorphisms of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene (rs699947, rs144854329, rs833061, rs2010963, rs3025039) and the risk of prostate cancer development and progression. Materials and Methods: The present study included 446 patients with prostate cancer and 241 healthy men. Genotyping was performed by polymerase-chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results: No significant association between the individual polymorphisms studied and the risk of prostate cancer development was detected. A statistically significantly increased risk of prostate cancer development associated with the presence of 9 or 10 risky alleles was found considering the whole group of patients, as well as in patients with low-grade carcinomas (Gleason score <7). Conclusion: Individual polymorphisms of VEGF do not appear to contribute to prostate cancer. However, a combination of risky alleles of the studied polymorphisms significantly increases the risk of prostate cancer in Slovak patients.