EGF
Overview
EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) encodes the ligand for EGFR and is a key activator of RTK–RAS–MAPK and PI3K–AKT signaling. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a functional polymorphism in the EGF promoter (rs4444903 A→G) has been associated with elevated circulating EGF levels and increased HCC risk in susceptible populations.
Alterations observed in the corpus
- rs4444903 SNP (EGF promoter) — candidate-gene variant associated with elevated HCC risk in cirrhotic Caucasian patients; identified in a 2014 HCC molecular profiling review PMID:24735922
Cancer types (linked)
- HCC — EGF promoter polymorphism rs4444903 associated with increased HCC risk in cirrhotic patients PMID:24735922
Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity
Therapeutic relevance
- EGFR-targeting agents are relevant given EGF as the cognate ligand; pathway universally activated in advanced HCC PMID:24735922
Open questions
- Functional impact of rs4444903 on transcriptional activity and HCC penetrance in non-Caucasian cohorts remains incompletely characterized.
Sources
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