title: Relationship of serum levels of VEGF and TGF-β1 with radiosensitivity of elderly patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) with radiosensitivity of elderly patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). Fifty-eight elderly patients with unresectable NSCLC and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of VEGF and TGF-β1 were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method before and after 3D-CRT. Clinical performances of serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels in predicting radiosensitivity of NSCLC patients with 3D-CRT were evaluated. Serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels of NSCLC patients were higher than those of health controls (all p < 0.05). After 3D-CRT treatment, 41 patients achieved effective clinical response (complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)) and 17 patients were ineffective clinical response (stable disease (SD) + progressive disease (PD)). There was no significant difference in the VEGF and TGF-β1 levels between the effective and ineffective groups before 3D-CRT (all p > 0.05). Serum levels of VEGF and TGF-β1 after 3D-CRT in the effective group were lower compared with the levels before 3D-CRT treatment (p < 0.001 and 0.027, respectively). However, no significant differences in serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels between before and after 3D-CRT in the ineffective group were observed (p = 0.196 and 0.517, respectively). We observed significant differences in serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels between the effective and ineffective groups after 3D-CRT (p < 0.001 and 0.013, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity of VEGF combined with TGF-β1 in predicting radiosensitivity of NSCLC patients with 3D-CRT were 87.8 and 94.1%, respectively. In conclusion, our results indicate that serum VEGF and TGF-β1 levels may accurately predict radiosensitivity of elderly patients with unresectable NSCLC receiving 3D-CRT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Wenhua Road No.2, Haigang District, Qinhuangdao, 066000, People's Republic of China, qhdfh_gt@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhan-Zhao
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Bao-Hong
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Hai-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A