Association of −2549 Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor with Breast Cancer in North Indian Patients

Abstract

Aims: The aim of the present study was to assess the role of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) −2549 insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in susceptibility to sporadic breast cancer. Methods: DNA samples of 94 breast cancer patients and 94 unrelated healthy control individuals with matched age and gender from the same geographical region of Punjab, North West India were screened for the −2549 I/D polymorphism. Serum VEGF-C (sVEGF-C) levels of breast cancer patients and healthy controls were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The frequency of the II, ID, and DD genotype was 23.40 versus 10.64%, 48.94 versus 52.13%, and 27.66 versus 37.23%, in patients and controls, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed for genotype distribution among the patients and controls (χ²=6.039, p=0.049). There was a significant increase in the I allele frequency in the patients as compared with controls (47.86 versus 36.70%, p=0.028). The sVEGF-C levels were also considerably higher in patients as compared to healthy controls (p<0.01). Conclusions: The VEGF −2549 I/D polymorphism has a role in the susceptibility to breast cancer in the Amritsar region of Punjab, India.