Hypoxia related growth factors and p53 in preoperative sera from patients with colorectal cancer--evaluation of the prognostic significance of these agents.
BACKGROUND
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) belong to a group of hypoxia related proteins. IGF-I induces expression of VEGF and decomposes wild type p53 in cancer cell lines. The goal of our study was to evaluate serum IGF-I, VEGF and p53 with respect to overall and disease free survival of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) patients compared with healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Preoperative blood samples from 125 patients with CRC and 16 healthy volunteers were examined using ELISA for serum IGF-I, p53 and VEGF concentrations.


RESULTS
Concentrations of p53 and VEGF were significantly higher in CRC patients than in controls (p<0.0006 and p<0.0001, respectively). IGF-I was not statistically different between both groups. Serum IGF-I showed negative correlation with p53 in CRC patients (p<0.04, r=-0.193). IGF-I and VEGF showed negative correlation in poorly differentiated cancers (G3) (p<0.03, r=-0.339). Patients with VEGF concentrations that were above average for the cancer population survived for a shorter period of time (p=0.065 in evaluation of overall survival and 0.071 in estimation of disease-free survival during a 3-year follow-up) compared with patients with serum VEGF lower than the highest values seen in controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Comparisons between serum IGF-I and p53 appear to confirm the metabolism of p53 by IGF-I. Serum VEGF showed prognostic significance in our study. Serum concentrations of IGF-I and VEGF did not show positive correlation, as expected due to IGF-I induction of VEGF in malignant colon cell lines.
Sulkowski
Stanislaw
S
Department of General Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
Wincewicz
Andrzej
A
Zalewski
Bogdan
B
Famulski
Waldemar
W
Lotowska
Joanna Maria
JM
Koda
Mariusz
M
Sobaniec-Lotowska
Maria Elzbieta
ME
Mysliwiec
Michal
M
Baltaziak
Marek
M
Pawlak
Krystyna
K
Sulkowska
Mariola
M
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000097:blood*; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I