VEGF in patients with non-small cell lung cancer during combination chemotherapy of carboplatin and paclitaxel.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor related to tumor growth and metastasis. However, little is known about the clinical significance of circulating VEGF in cancer patients.


METHODS
Eighteen patients with non-small cell lung cancer received chemotherapy using carboplatin and paclitaxel. Plasma levels of VEGF were analyzed at baseline and after 2 cycles of chemotherapy.


RESULTS
Partial remission was observed in 3 patients (16.7%), stable disease in 10 patients (55.6%) and progressive disease in 5 patients (27.8%). Patients with partial remission or stable disease had significantly lower levels of plasma VEGF than did patients with progressive disease, both at baseline (p=0.0341) and after 2 cycles of chemotherapy (p=0.0265). There were no significant changes of plasma VEGF during chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Pretreatment plasma levels of VEGF are a useful marker for predicting disease control by chemotherapy.
Shingyoji
Masato
M
Department of Thoracic Disease, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba 260-8717, Japan. mshingyoji@chiba-cc.jp
Ando
Soichiro
S
Nishimura
Hiroki
H
Nakajima
Takahiro
T
Ishikawa
Aki
A
Itakura
Meiji
M
Iizasa
Toshihiko
T
Kimura
Hideki
H
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel