Objective: To investigate the association between three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and the risk of glioma in a Han Chinese population.
Methods: This hospital-based case-control study used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to detect three SNPs (-634 G/C, +936 C/T and +1612 G/A) of the VEGF gene in patients with glioma compared with healthy control subjects.
Results: The study investigated 880 patients with gliomas and 880 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Patients with gliomas had a significantly higher frequency of the -634 CC genotype (odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05, 1.75) and the +936 TT (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.20, 2.48) genotype compared with the control subjects. Patients with glioblastomas had a significantly higher frequency of the -634 CC and +936 TT genotypes. Patients with grade IV gliomas had a significantly higher frequency of the -634 CC and +936 TT genotypes. The +1612 G/A polymorphisms were not associated with glioma risk.
Conclusion: The VEGF - 634 CC and +936 TT genotypes were associated with a higher risk of glioma in a Han Chinese population.
Keywords: Glioma; VEGF; gene polymorphism; vascular endothelial growth factor.