Vascular endothelial growth factor in the serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer: correlation with platelet and leukocyte counts

Abstract

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic peptide expressed in a wide variety of tumors, and it stimulates angiogenesis and increases vascular permeability. Increased expression of VEGF may be associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the levels of VEGF were determined in serum from 41 patients with untreated NSCLC (Stage: IIB, 3; IIIA, 6; IIIB, 17; IV, 15; Histology: squamous cell carcinoma, 18; adenocarcinoma. 14; undetermined, 9). Results: The median VEGF level was 312 pg/ml, ranging from 70 to 1440 pg/ml. Patients were divided into high VEGF (>312 pg/ml) and low VEGF (≤312 pg/ml) groups using the median value as a cut-off. There were no significant associations between the serum VEGF levels and various clinicopathologic characteristics including age, gender, histologic type, stage and treatment. A significant positive correlation was found between serum VEGF levels and platelet counts ( r=0.495; P=0.001). In addition, serum VEGF levels also correlated with leukocyte counts ( r=0.478; P=0.002). In seven patients with measurement of follow-up serum VEGF levels at the end of treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy), the median serum VEGF level significantly decreased after the treatment (416 pg/ml; range, 96–812 pg/ml vs. 185 pg/ml; range, 49–487 pg/ml; P=0.028). However, the median platelet count (317,000/μl; range, 190,000–395,000/μl vs. 246,000/μl; range, 72,000–271,000/μl; P=0.028) and leukocyte count (10,000/μl; range, 8700–17,200/μl vs. 5100/μl; range, 3900–9500/μl; P=0.018) also decreased after the treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in the median survival of the patients between high VEGF group and low VEGF group (8 months vs. 9 months, P=0.647). Conclusions: Although serum VEGF level was significantly associated with platelet and leukocyte counts in NSCLC patients, it did not correlate with tumor burden and prognosis of the patients.