title: High circulating VEGF level predicts poor overall survival in lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered as the best-validated key regulator of angiogenesis, while the prognostic role of circulating VEGF in lung cancer remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of circulating VEGF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen studies with a total number of 2,890 patients were analyzed in our meta-analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify the predictive ability of circulating VEGF on survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pooled HR of all 17 studies evaluating overall survival (OS) was 1.29 (95 % CI 1.19-1.40, p < 0.001), indicating high circulating VEGF predicted poor OS. When grouped by disease stages, the pooled HRs were 0.97 (95 % CI 0.47-1.47, p < 0.001) for operable stage and 1.34 (95 % CI 1.18-1.49, p < 0.001) for inoperable stage. The pooled HRs were 1.28 (95 % CI 1.15-1.42, p < 0.001) for serum and 1.31 (95 % CI 1.13-1.49, p < 0.001) for plasma, when categorized by blood sample. Meta-analysis of circulating VEGF related to progression-free survival (PFS) was performed in 7 studies, and the pooled HR was 1.03 (95 % CI 0.96-1.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that high level of circulating VEGF predicts poor OS in lung cancer, yet it does not predict poor PFS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong University, 324 Jingwu Road, Jinan 250021, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liguang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Miaomiao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jiajun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
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