title: Vascular endothelial growth factor C as a predictor of early recurrence and poor prognosis of resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is potentially curable after completely resection, but early recurrence may infl uence prognosis. This study hypothesises that vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) plays a key role in predicting early recurrence and poor survival of patients with stage I NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of VEGF-C was immuno-histochemically (IHC) analysed in tumour samples of primary stage I NSCLC and correlated to early recurrence (< 36 months), disease-free survival, and overall survival in all 49 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early recurrence was identifi ed in 16 patients (33%), and the early recurrence rate in strong and weak VEGF-C activity was significantly different (P = 0.016). VEGF-C was also an independent risk factor in predicting early recurrence (HR = 3.98, P = 0.02). Patients with strong VEGF-C staining also had poor 3-year disease-free survival (P = 0.008) and overall survival (P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strong VEGF-C IHC staining could be a biomarker for predicting early recurrence and poor prognosis of resected stage I NSCLC, if the results of the present study are confirmed in a larger study. A more aggressive adjuvant therapy should be used in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shuo Chueh
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chuen Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Guan Chin
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Wei Erh
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Min Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Jen Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Chih Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A