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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2006; 12(26): 4179-4180
Published online Jul 14, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i26.4179
Prevalence of factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A in patients with gastric cancer
Sandra Battistelli, Massimo Stefanoni, Alberto Genovese, Aurelio Vittoria, Roberto Cappelli, Franco Roviello
Sandra Battistelli, Massimo Stefanoni, Alberto Genovese, Dipartimento di Chirurgia e Specialità Chirurgiche, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy
Aurelio Vittoria, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Scienze Immunologiche, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy
Roberto Cappelli, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Cardiovascolare e Geriatrica, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy
Franco Roviello, Dipartimento di Patologia Umana ed Oncologia, Policlinico Le Scotte, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by a Research Grant from the University of Siena (PAR)
Correspondence to: Franco Roviello, MD, Via A. De Gasperi 5, 53100 Siena, Italy. roviello@unisi.it
Telephone: +39-577-585157 Fax: +39-577-585157
Received: January 12, 2006
Revised: February 5, 2006
Accepted: February 18, 2006
Published online: July 14, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the prevalence of the two commonest thrombophilic mutations, factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A, in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one patients with primary gastric carcinoma and 130 healthy subjects, comparable for age and sex, were investigated. Factor V Leiden was detected by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion, and prothrombin G20210A gene mutation by allele-specific PCR.

RESULTS: Among the 121 cancer patients, factor V Leiden was found in 4 cases (GA genotype: 3.3%) and prothrombin G20210A in 10 cases (GA genotype: 8.3%). Of the 130 control subjects, factor V Leiden was detected in 6 cases (GA genotype: 4.6%) and prothrombin G20210A in 8 cases (GA genotype: 6.1%). No double heterozygous carriers of both mutations were found in either group. The prevalence of both factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A variant was not statistically different between the cancer patients and the healthy subjects.

CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that, in gastric cancer, the risk factors of thrombophilic cancer state are on acquired rather than on a genetic basis and that prothrombin G20210A does not seem to be a cofactor in gastric cancer pathogenesis.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; Genetic polymorphism; Factor V Leiden; Prothrombin G20210A