title: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor and serum leptin in patients with cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can be seen as surrogate markers of angiogenesis. Recently, leptin, which is involved in the control of satiety and energy expenditure, was also shown to modulate angiogenesis. As angiogenesis plays an abundant role in cervical carcinogenesis, we evaluated serum VEGF and leptin in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum VEGF and leptin were measured in 84 patients with cervical cancer, in 28 patients with CIN I-III, and in 35 healthy women, using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum VEGF was significantly elevated in patients with cervical cancer and in patients with CIN I-III compared to healthy women. In patients with cervical cancer serum VEGF was significantly correlated with tumor stage, but not with lymph node involvement and histological grade. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that elevated pretreatment serum VEGF was not associated with the duration of disease-free and overall survival. Serum leptin did not differ among patients with cervical cancer, patients with CIN I-III, and healthy women. Serum leptin was significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI). All further analyses were performed with absolute and serum leptin corrected by BMI. No differences in serum leptin could be ascertained between patients with cervical cancer and patients with CIN I-III. Serum leptin was not associated with any clinicopathological parameter and patients' survival. No correlation between serum VEGF and leptin was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be speculated that serum VEGF might be used as a surrogate marker of angiogenesis in patients with cervical cancer. Our data support the concept that VEGF plays a role in malignant transformation and tumor growth, but not in the lymphatic spread of cervical cancer. This is the first report on leptin in a gynecological malignancy. Our results show that serum leptin falls short of being a useful marker in patients with cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06097, Germany.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lebrecht
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Ambros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tempfer
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koelbl
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hefler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000097:blood*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D020738:Leptin; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors