title: [Serum levels of VEGF and nitric oxide in esophageal squamous carcinoma patients and the clinical significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angiogenesis is necessary for the growth and metastasis of malignant tumor and is closely related to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO). This investigation was aimed to detect the serum levels of VEGF and NO in squamous carcinoma patients and analyze the clinical significance for prognosis evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum VEGF and NO levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and spectrophotometry, respectively, and their clinical significance was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of VEGF and NO in squamous carcinoma patients were significantly higher than that of in normal persons (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between serum VEGF, NO levels and tumor pathological phases, histological grades and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). There was also a positive correlation between serum VEGF level and serum NO level (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of VEGF and NO in squamous carcinoma patients were significantly correlated to the growth, development and malignant behavior of tumor and thus may serve as the indexes for clinical prognosis evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide