title: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) plasma levels in non-small cell lung cancer: relationship with coagulation and platelet activation markers.
abstract: Platelet activation, commonly found in lung cancer patients, may cause the release of angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A). The present study was designed to investigate whether plasma VEGF-A levels were associated to different stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Moreover, sP-selectin, prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TATc) and D-dimer levels were measured to test the hypothesis of an involvement of platelet and coagulation activation in tumor angiogenesis. VEGF-A, sP-selectin, F1+2, TATc and D-dimer levels were elevated in 65 patients with NSCLC, particularly in metastatic patients. sP-selectin (p <0.003) and F1+2 (p <0.005) levels were independently associated to VEGF-A. In addition, patients with positive levels of both sP-selectin and F1+2 had the highest levels of VEGF-A. In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that thrombin generation might induce platelet activation and VEGF-A release in NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Department of Surgry, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roselli
authors.forename: Tommaso C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mineo
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basili
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellotti
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spila
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Gazzaniga
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guadagni
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroni
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019343:Citric Acid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D015539:Platelet Activation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019007:P-Selectin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019343:Citric Acid