title: [Significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor test before radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and beta 2-microglobulin levels before and after radiotherapy in 58 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and to elucidate the clinical significance of VEGF and beta 2-microglobulin test before radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum VEGF level was measured by sandwich ELISA in 58 patients with NPC and 24 healthy individuals, and the serum beta 2-microglobulin was assayed with time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum VEGF level in patients with NPC was (174.0+/-130.0) ng/L, higher than (134.1+/-66.6) ng/L of the healthy subjects, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The serum VEGF level was higher in T4 and IV a patients with NPC. No significant differences in the levels of serum VEGF were found among various N classifications in the patients with NPC. Patients with the serum VEGF level higher than 267.3 ng/L (mean+2 s of the serum VEGF level in the healthy individuals) had a shorter metastasis-free survival time (P<0.05). Although the patients with high beta 2-microglobulin level had a shorter survival time, the difference was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NPC patients with high serum VEGF level have a poor prognosis.
authors: Department of Radiology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China. zhaoguoq@cabliplus.com.cn
authors: Guo-Qi
authors: GQ
authors: Zhao
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Xu
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin