title: Difference in pre- and postchemotherapy vascular endothelial growth factor levels as a prognostic indicator in osteosarcoma.
abstract: This retrospective analysis examined the difference in pre- and postchemotherapy levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as an indicator of osteosarcoma prognosis. VEGF protein levels were assessed immunohistochemically in primary tumour samples from 61 osteosarcoma patients  diagnosed between February 2001 and July 2005. The difference in pre- and postchemotherapy VEGF protein reduction levels was categorized into weak (23 patients) and strong (38 patients). The 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in the weak VEGF reduction group (34.8%) than in the strong  VEGF reduction group (73.7%). The weak VEGF reduction group had significantly higher rates of metastasis and recurrence. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the change in VEGF was an independent and significant factor for predicting a good prognosis. The analysis of VEGF will enable clinicians  to tailor surgery and chemotherapy regimens more appropriately, earlier in the disease process.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Changzhou Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Qu
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Xu
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Jiang
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Zhao
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Zheng
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A