Serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
High levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been reported in patients with cancers of different origins. There are no data comparing serum VEGF levels of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients with that of the healthy subjects.


OBJECTIVE
We tried to assess whether serum VEGF concentration in MTC patients is correlated with tumour extension and whether this marker might be used to further refine the selection of candidates for future therapies with receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.


METHODS
Sera from 57 individuals divided into five groups: group I, healthy individuals (n=14); group II, MTC patients in remission (n=10); group III, MTC patients with residual disease (n=12); group IV, MTC patients with loco-regional disease (n=11) and group V, MTC patients with distant metastases (n=10) were analysed for serum VEGF and calcitonin (CT) levels.


RESULTS
Analysis of serum VEGF did not disclose significant differences among the five groups. Mean serum VEGF level of patients with distant metastases was not significantly different from that observed in healthy individuals (319.4+/-49.78 vs 313.7+/-43.13 ng/l). Serum VEGF levels correlated positively with serum CT (r=0.4891; P=0.0394) for CT values below 2500 ng/l whereas there was no correlation for CT values above this threshold.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum VEGF levels in MTC patients are not significantly different from those found in healthy individuals and did not correlate with the extension of disease.
João Bugalho
Maria
M
Serviço de Endocrinologia, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Rua Professor Lima Basto, 1099-023 Lisboa, Portugal. mjbugalho@ipolisboa.min-saude.pt
Madureira
Deolinda
D
Espadinha
Carla
C
Paula Font
Ana
A
Sobrinho
Luís G
LG
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002116:Calcitonin