title: The ratio of serum placenta growth factor to soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 predicts the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Angiogenesis plays crucial roles in development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Placenta growth factor (PLGF), belonging to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, is involved in angiogenesis associated with cancer. Soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sVEGFR1) has been thought to be an intrinsic negative regulator for PLGF. We investigated whether serum PLGF and serum sVEGFR1 is associated with prognosis of HCC. Serum PLGF and sVEGFR1 levels were measured in 145 patients with HCC using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of these factors and the ratio of PLGF to sVEGFR1 were analyzed in relation with clinical parameters. The higher level of sVEGFR1 and the lower ratio of PLGF/sVEGFR1 were significantly associated with poor survival in HCC. Cox regression analysis revealed that the lower ratio of PLGF/sVEGFR1 independently correlated to prognosis of patients with HCC. The ratio of PLGF/sVEGFR1 was independent prognostic indicator for HCC. The ratio of PLGF/sVEGFR1 should be addressed in anti-angiogenic therapy for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Liver Cancer Division, Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy and Center of the 21st Century COE Program for Medical Science, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hisamoto
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toirimura
authors.forename: Takato
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012995:Solubility; D015996:Survival Rate; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1