title: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) as a biomarker in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate serum VEGF-A levels in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) patients and relationships with response to therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum VEGF-A levels in patients (n=72) treated with radiotherapy (RT) or radio-chemotherapy (RCT) and controls (n=40) were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum VEGF-A levels of the SCCHN cases were significantly higher (p=0.001) than in healthy controls, and in patients with positive as compared to negative lymph node status (p=0.004). Similarly, patients with advanced stage (Stage III-IV) disease had more greatly elevated levels of serum VEGF-A level than their early stage (Stage I-II) counterparts (p=0.001). In contrast, there was no significant difference (p=0.57) in serum level of VEGF-A in patients with advanced T-stage (T3-4) as compared to early stage (T1-2). Similarly, patients with distant metastasis had no significant (p=0.067) elevation in serum VEGF-A level as compared to non-metastatic disease. However, the non-responder patients had significantly higher serum VEGF-A level as compared to responders (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the serum VEGF-A level may be a useful biomarker for the prediction of response to therapy in SCCHN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, King George's Medical University, Uttar Pradesh, India E-mail : drmlbhatt@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Vikas Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Rishi Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Gara
authors.forename: Namrata
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rastogi
authors.forename: Durga Prasad
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Mohd Kaleem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Shalini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Madhu Mati
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.forename: Madan Lal Brahma
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bhatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A