Gender-specific association between polymorphism of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF 936 C>T) gene and colon cancer in Korea.

Background: Angiogenesis is an essential process in the development, growth and metastasis of malignant tumors such as colon cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor. A case control study was carried out to determine whether there is an association between the VEGF 936C>T polymorphism and colon cancer.

Patients And Methods: DNA samples taken from 262 colon cancer patients and 229 healthy controls were amplified by polymerase chain reaction for the VEGF 936C>T polymorphism.

Results: Genotype frequencies of the VEGF 936C>T polymorphism were significantly different between patient and control groups (CT+TT, odds ratio(OR): 1.524, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.033-2.249). When stratified by gender and age, the frequencies of the T allele-bearing genotypes significantly increased risk for colon cancer in women and patients younger than 55 years (in women, OR: 1.996, 95% CI: 1.151-3.464 and in <55 years, OR: 4.156, 95% CI: 1.885-9.163). In addition, this association remained in most cases with distal and proximal colon cancer.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that the VEGF 936C>T polymorphism might be a genetic determinant for colon cancer, at least in Koreans.