title: Prognostic value of serum VEGF in melanoma patients: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in angiogenesis. We investigated the association of VEGF serum levels (pre-treatment and follow-up) with outcome in patients with melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels of VEGF in melanoma patients at diagnosis and during follow-up were analysed with enzyme-linked immunoassays. Patients were followed up with physical examination and ultrasound scans of the liver every three months and thorax X-ray annually. The VEGF serum level was evaluated six-monthly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From February 1996 to February 2000, 33 patients were enrolled. Ninety-two serum blood samples were collected. Patients had a median age of 60 years (range 32-82). Twenty patients were males, 13 females. One patient presented with stage IA disease, 2 with stage IB, 11 with stage IIA, 4 with stage IIB, 8 with stage III and 5 with stage IV. Two patients were affected by uveal melanoma. The melanomas were predominantly located at the extremities or trunk (26/33). The median serum level of VEGF at diagnosis was 249 ng/ml (minimum: 9 ng/ml, maximum: 1215 ng/ml). The median survival of all 33 patients was 45.1 months. The median time-to-progression was 36.7 months. Patients with lower or higher serum VEGF values showed no statistically significant differences in survival. In contrast, high serum VEGF values were associated with shorter disease-free survival as compared with lower values (median DFS: 25 vs 60 months, p = 0.048 at log-rank test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that serum VEGF could be of prognostic value in melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, National Cancer Institute, via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo Antonio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ascierto
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottaiano
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A