Changes in the circulating plasma levels of VEGF and VEGF-D after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer and 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes.
BACKGROUND
The goal of the present study was to investigate the changes in concentration of the important lymph-angiogenesis factors vascular endothelium-derived growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF-D under adjuvant chemotherapy.


METHODS
The blood plasma of a total of 142 patients with breast carcinoma and with 1 to 3 affected lymph nodes was investigated, using the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique, prior to and following chemotherapy, within the framework of a randomized phase III study: the patients received either conventional or dose-intensified chemotherapy.


RESULTS
In general, there was a significant reduction in VEGF levels after chemotherapy only in patients with large tumors (T3) (p = 0.043). There was also an almost significant reduction in patients with an overexpression of c-erbB-2 (Dako Score +3, p = 0.052). In contrast, the clearest reduction in VEGF-D occurred in patients with a positive hormone receptor status (p = 0.04) or in patients with a low expression of c-erbB-2 (Dako Score +1, p = 0.05). A significant effect of chemotherapy on VEGF-D was determined only in patients who had a baseline level that was above the normal (conventionel treatment p = 0.005; dose-intensified treatment p = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
Both VEGF and VEGF-D levels changed after chemotherapy, depending on the patient and tumor characteristics. With respect to changes in the plasma levels of VEGF and VEGF-D, there were no significant differences between dose-intensified and conventional chemotherapy.
Kümmel
Sherko
S
Department of Senology, University Medicine Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany. sherko.kuemmel@charite.de
Eggemann
Holm
H
Lüftner
Diana
D
Thomas
Anke
A
Jeschke
Sophia
S
Zerfel
Nadine
N
Heilmann
Volker
V
Emons
Günter
G
Zeiser
Tobias
T
Ulm
Kurt
K
Kobl
Michael
M
Korlach
Susanne
S
Schmid
Peter
P
Sehouli
Jalid
J
Elling
Dirk
D
Blohmer
Jens-Uwe
JU
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000097:blood*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D015251:Epirubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D017239:Paclitaxel