title: Serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) are associated with prognosis in esophageal cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases and angiogenesis contribute to growth and spread of cancer. We investigated the correlation between pretreatment serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), and clinicopathologic features and survival in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 89 patients with EC, and 30 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum TIMP-1 and VEGF-A levels were significantly higher in patients with esophageal carcinoma than in the control group (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). High levels of TIMP-1 were associated with histological type (p<0.001), tumor depth (p<0.001), stage (p<0.001) and lymph node metastases (p=0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that tumor size (p<0.001), tumor depth (p<0.001), stage (p<0.001), lymph node metastases (p=0.002), distant metastases (p=0.009) and resectability (p=0.003), were correlated with an elevated level of VEGF-A. Patients with elevated levels of TIMP-1 and VEGF-A had a significantly lower overall survival (p=0.02 and p=0.048, respectively), and disease-free survival (TIMP-1, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High serum levels of TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were found to be associated with tumor progression and unfavorable prognosis in patients with EC.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozłowski
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Laudański
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mroczko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szmitkowski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milewski
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Łapuć
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C560822:TIMP1 protein, human; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A