title: [Study on serum vascular endothelial growth factor level in ovarian malignant tumors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the diagnostic value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in patients with ovarian carcinomas, and to evaluate the correlation between serum VEGF level and prognosis of ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum VEGF level in patients with ovarian neoplasms (120 cases of ovarian carcinomas, 25 cases of benign tumors) and 90 healthy women as controls was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), also the change of preoperative and postoperative serum VEGF level of 25 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer was observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1)The preoperative serum VEGF levels were (766 +/- 1237) mg/L in malignant groups, and there was a significant difference compared with normal controls (55 +/- 19) mg/L or patients with benign tumor (56 +/- 23) mg/L (P < 0.05). As a cut-off at 100 mg/L, sensitivity and specificity of preoperative serum VEGF levels for diagnosing ovarian cancer was 77% and 87% respectively. (2) Serum VEGF level were significantly elevated in advanced stage (955 +/- 1716) mg/L and poorly differentiated (991 +/- 1349) mg/L compared with early stage (198 +/- 287) mg/L and well differentiated (280 +/- 552) mg/L (P < 0.05), but there is no significant difference between the VEGF level and pathological types (P > 0.05). (3) The postoperative serum VEGF levels (118 +/- 110) mg/L were significantly lower than that in preoperative (1074 +/- 1211) mg/L. (4) The average total survival-time in patients with VEGF(+) was 28 months, but it in patients with VEGF(-) was 35 months (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum VEGF values were higher in malignant tumors and preoperative serum VEGF level has a potential as a marker for diagnosing and monitoring in ovarian neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie-qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: De-sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xin-qiu
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008222:Lymphokines; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors