Comparison of angiogenic factor levels in tumor drainage and peripheral venous blood from colorectal cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
The main objective of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation in the levels of various angiogenesis-related factors between the tumor drainage and peripheral venous blood and whether appraisal of angiogenic factor levels in the tumor drainage venous blood could provide better prognostic information for patients with colorectal cancer than assessment of the peripheral venous blood.


METHODS
Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, and endostatin were measured and compared in both tumor drainage and peripheral venous blood from 52 patients with colorectal cancer. Plasma levels of angiogenesis-related factors were also correlated with tumor stage and clinical outcomes.


RESULTS
The plasma endostatin level was significantly higher in peripheral blood than in tumor drainage venous blood (P < .001). The plasma VEGF level was significantly correlated with plasma endostatin levels (P = .028 in tumor drainage venous blood and P = .002 in peripheral venous blood). In both tumor drainage and peripheral venous blood, the VEGF level (but not the basic fibroblast growth factor or endostatin level) was significantly correlated with tumor stage and disease recurrence. However, in multivariate analysis, only plasma VEGF level in tumor drainage venous blood remained an independent predictor of disease recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The plasma VEGF level in tumor drainage venous blood provided better prognostic information than that in peripheral venous blood. The plasma endostatin level was paradoxically significantly higher in peripheral than in tumor drainage blood, and this strongly suggests additional sources of endostatin in peripheral blood.
Tien
Yu-Wen
YW
Department of Surgery and Angiogenesis Center, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 7 Chung-Shan South Rd., Taipei, 1002, Taiwan, Republic of China. ywt5106@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
Chang
King-Jen
KJ
Chiu
Yen-Feng
YF
Huang
Kai-Wen
KW
Lee
Po-Huang
PH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D004322:Drainage; D043169:Endostatins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D014680:Veins / Q000378:metabolism*
D043169:Endostatins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2