Authors: Iwona Gisterek Rafal Matkowski Aleksandra Lacko Pawel Sedlaczek Krzysztof Szewczyk Przemyslaw Biecek Agnieszka Halon Urszula Staszek Jolanta Szelachowska Marek Pudelko Marek Bebenek Antonina HarlozinskaSzmyrka Jan Kornafel
Publish Date: 2009/10/11
Volume: 16, Issue: 3, Pages: 337-344
Abstract
Available evidence suggests that vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF a potent regulator of vasculogenesis and tumor angiogenesis may be a predictor of recurrence in breast cancer patients We sought to determine whether VEGF serum levels VEGFA VEGFC and VEGFD in 377 patients with malignant and benign breast tumors differ and whether there is association between vascular growth factors clinicopathologic features and prognosis There was no significant difference in investigated circulating angiogenic markers between patients with malignant and non malignant lesions We found strong correlation between VEGFA and VEGFD and between VEGF C and VEGFD Besides serum VEGFD levels and estrogen receptor ER expressions no other correlations between VEGF and clinicopathologic variables were observed However elevated VEGFA and VEGFC concentrations were associated with increased number of erythrocytes leukocytes and platelets In Cox model values of angiogenic serum markers and recognized prognostic markers in breast cancer VEGFC turned out as independent prognostic factor Our study is the first analysis showing correlation between serum concentrations of three angiogenic factors VEGFA VEGFC VEGFD Associations between angiogenic cytokines and number of blood cells may be due to release of VEGF from platelets and leucocytes Prognostic role of VEGF is still uncertain though VEGFC has a potential to serve as a prognostic marker
Keywords: