title: Prognostic role of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor-1 in patients with esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present long-term results regarding the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) for esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 68 esophageal cancer patients, VEGF, VEGFR-1 plus ten other factors were analyzed for locoregional control (LRC), metastases-free survival (MFS) and survival up to 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On multivariate analysis, improved LRC was associated with hemoglobin during radiotherapy ≥12 g/dl (p=0.001). VEGF-negativity showed a trend for better LRC on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, better MFS was associated with hemoglobin ≥12 g/dl (p=0.012), better performance status (p=0.009) and lower tumor stage (p=0.032). On multivariate analysis, improved survival was associated with hemoglobin ≥12 g/dl (p<0.001) and better performance status (p=0.005). Trends for improved survival were observed for VEGF-negativity and VEGFR-1-negativity on univariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF showed a trend towards worse LRC and survival, VEGFR-1 towards worse survival. Outcomes were associated with hemoglobin, performance status and tumor stage.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Charite Berlin, Berlin, Germany Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ergin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thorns
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajrovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany Rades.Dirk@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rades
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
keywords: Radio-chemotherapy; VEGF; VEGFR-1; esophageal cancer; hemoglobin