[Plasma level and prognostic significance of VEGF, bFGF and MMP-9 in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To measure plasma levels of VEGF, bFGF and MMP-9 in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and evaluate their prognostic value.


METHODS
The plasma levels of VEGF, bFGF and MMP-9 in 46 cases with advanced NSCLC were measured by ELISA before chemotherapy and in 30 cases after chemotherapy.


RESULTS
The plasma levels of VEGF, bFGF and MMP-9 in patients before chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in healthy control persons (P < 0.05). The correlation between plasma levels of VEGF and bFGF was significant, Spearman's r = 0.329 (P = 0.027). No correlation was found among the levels of angiogenic factors studied above and the following clinical parameters such as age, sex, histological subtype, differentiation of tumor cells, TNM-stage and also blood leukocyte, hemoglobin and platelet counts. The plasma level of MMP-9 in patients with extensive metastasis (including bone metastasis) was significantly higher than that in patients with bone metastasis only (P = 0.013). Reduction of plasma bFGF level after chemotherapy was a unique independent good prognostic factor (RR = 11.737, P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of plasma levels of such angiogenic factors as VEGF, bFGF and MMP-9 in advanced NSCLC is helpful for prediction of metastasis tendency and evaluation of prognosis.
Zhao
Jun
J
Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing 100036, China. ohjerry@163.com
Liu
Xu-yi
XY
Zhang
Qing-yun
QY
Jiang
Wei
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9