Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms in Taiwanese women with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. T.Y. Chang¹, Y.C. Yang^{1, 2, 4}, Y.J. Lee^{1, 3, 5}, T.H. Su^{2, 4}, W.F. Chen¹, H.W. Chan¹, H.F. Liu¹, C.C. Chu¹, M. Lin¹ 1) Medical Research Department, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 2) Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 3) Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4) Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan; 5) College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

   Human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered to be a necessary but not sufficient cause for cervical cancer. Genetic background might partake in the risk and development of cervical cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important regulator of angiogenesis that has been associated with many human malignancies including carcinoma of uterine cervix. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of the functional polymorphisms of this gene as genetic markers for cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) susceptibility. The -2578 A/C, -634 G/C, and +936 C/T polymorphisms were genotyped in 141 CSCC patients and 378 age-matched healthy controls by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The presence and genotypes of HPV in CSCC patients were determined by PCR. We found no significant association between the polymorphisms or haplotypes and CSCC. Stratified by the positivity of HPV-16 infection also did not find marked association. Our findings provide no support for the hypothesis that VEGF polymorphisms are associated with increased risk for CSCC in the Taiwanese population.