title: VEGF in patients with non-small cell lung cancer during combination chemotherapy of carboplatin and paclitaxel.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Thoracic Disease, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba 260-8717, Japan. mshingyoji@chiba-cc.jp
authors: Masato
authors: M
authors: Shingyoji
authors: Soichiro
authors: S
authors: Ando
authors: Hiroki
authors: H
authors: Nishimura
authors: Takahiro
authors: T
authors: Nakajima
authors: Aki
authors: A
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Meiji
authors: M
authors: Itakura
authors: Toshihiko
authors: T
authors: Iizasa
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Kimura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel