Preoperative serum levels of serum VEGF-C is associated with distant metastasis in colorectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) is one of the most potent lymphangiogenic members of the VEGF family that has been associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we evaluated the relationship of preoperative serum VEGF-C (sVEGF-C) and survival in CRC patients.


METHODS
sVEGF-C levels were determined, prior to resection, in a cohort of 120 newly presenting patients with CRC by quantitative ELISA.


RESULTS
Patients who had positive lymph node involvement and higher Dukes' staging (C&D) were associated with shorter time to metastases as expected (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Patients with distant metastasis had significantly lower levels of sVEGF-C than those without histopathologically proven disease (p = 0.004). However, there was no significant difference in the median sVEGF-C level in patients with or without lymph node metastatic involvement (91 pg/ml vs. 124 pg/ml; p = 0.81). Patients with a sVEGF-C concentration less than the median value (103 pg/ml) showed a poorer overall survival than patients with sVEGF-C levels greater than the median; but this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, low sVEGF-C levels are associated with distant metastasis; hence, preoperative levels may aid in the selection of CRC patients who require further investigation.
Alabi
Andrew A
AA
Academic Surgical Unit, Division of Cancer, Postgraduate Medical Institute in association with the Hull and York Medical School, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Kingston-upon-Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
Suppiah
Aravind
A
Madden
Leigh A
LA
Monson
John R
JR
Greenman
John
J
D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000097:blood*
D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C