Elevated serum vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with hormone-escaped prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the assessment of patients with prostate cancer. Patients, subjects and methods Serum from 78 men was assayed for VEGF using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Forty-eight patients had a histopathological diagnosis of prostate cancer (16 local disease, 32 metastatic), nine had benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 21 were healthy controls.


RESULTS
The mean serum VEGF level was significantly higher in patients with hormone-escaped prostate cancer than in all other groups (P </= 0. 02). There were no significant differences in serum VEGF levels among the other groups. In 18 patients with serial measurements there was no significant difference in serum VEGF level during either response to or escape from hormonal therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The significantly higher serum VEGF level in patients with hormone-escaped prostate cancer suggests a role in the pathogenesis of advanced disease. However, the lack of significant differences among the other groups and the failure to indicate either response to or escape from hormonal therapy suggests that serum VEGF in this setting is of limited use.
Jones
A
A
Molecular Oncology Unit, ICRF, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, UK. Adam.Jones@icrf.icnet.uk
Fujiyama
C
C
Turner
K
K
Fuggle
S
S
Cranston
D
D
Bicknell
R
R
Harris
A L
AL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000098:blood supply; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors