Distinct association of VEGF-A polymorphisms with laryngeal and nasopharyngeal cancer

Abstract

We evaluated the association of common VEGF-A SNPs as potential risk factors for laryngeal cancer (LC) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Tunisians. Study subjects comprised 73 NPC and 48 LC patients, along with 125 cancer-free control subjects. VEGF-A genotyping was done by the allelic discrimination method. Minor allele frequency (MAF) of the 8 tested VEGF-A SNPs was comparable between LC patients and controls. Significantly higher MAF of rs2010963 and rs833070 were seen in NPC patients compared to controls. Increased nasopharyngeal cancer risk was seen with both rs2010963 and rs833070 as heterozygous, and more so as homozygous states, thus establishing a dose-dependent effect. In addition, increased NPC risk was associated with rs833068 only in heterozygous state. Increased frequency of CCGAACTC haplotype was seen in LC cases than controls. This was in sharp contrast to NPC, where highly significant positive association was seen with ATCGGCCC, ATGAGCCC, CCCAGTCC, and CCGAACCC haplotypes, while ATCAACCC, ATGGACCC, CCCAGCCC, CCCAGCCT, and ATGGATCC haplotypes are protective factors for NPC. VEGF-A SNPs are associated with altered risk of NPC, but not with LC, among Tunisian subjects.