title: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor-D levels correlate with cervical lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of this multicenter study was to evaluate the clinical relevance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This prospective study consisted of 74 patients with primary PTC and 15 patients with benign thyroid nodules treated from 2008 to 2009. VEGF-D concentration was compared with patient clinicopathologic features and lymph node metastases. There was no significant difference in mean serum VEGF-D levels between the PTC and benign thyroid nodule groups. Within the PTC group, serum VEGF-D levels were significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastases than in patients without metastases (241.92 vs. 213.89 pg/ml, respectively; P = 0.035). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that preoperative serum VEGF-D levels were predictive of lymph node metastases in the patients >45 years. Serum VEGF-D level that was correlated with the presence of cervical lymph node metastases in PTC patients might be a useful prognostic indicator.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chieh-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Kuen-Yuan
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chin-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shi-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Yao-Jen
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Tsan
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Kun-Che
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Hsun
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D