title: Clinical significance of the VEGF level in urinary bladder carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and micro-vessel density (MVD) with urinary bladder tumor and its stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2012. The study included screening of 122 patients at elevated risk for bladder cancer, of which 35 patients were finally enrolled in the study. Diagnosis was made on the basis of urine cytology, radiological investigation (ultrasound KUB, and CT-scan) and histopathology. Thirty-five normal cancer-free individuals were enrolled as controls. Human VEGF levels were measured using an enzyme linked immunoassay and protein content (pg/mg protein) by Lowry method. SPSS for Windows version 10.0.7 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA) was used for statistical analysis of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean urine VEGF level in the cases was significantly higher in comparison to the control group. There was a direct correlation between VEGF level and tumor stage. Mean urine VEGF values were minimum in the control group (22.75 ± 15.41 pg/mg creatinine) and maximum in stage IV patients (180.15 ± 75.93 pg/mg creatinine). Tissue VEGF levels also showed a similar trend of increase with increase in stage. Urine VEGF level also showed a correlation with tissue VEGF level. Similarly, MVD showed a significant increase with increase in tumor stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A correlation between bladder cancer and MVD and VEGF suggest that the latter can serve as markers for therapeutic guidance. This is the first study from India on clinical and pathological correlation among urine VEGF, tumor tissue VEGF levels, and Micro Vessel Density (MVD) in urinary bladder cancer patients.
authors: Department of Urology, King George Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Sankhwar
authors: Department of Urology, King George Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors: Satya Narayan
authors: SN
authors: Sankhwar
authors: Department of Urology, King George Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors: Amar
authors: A
authors: Abhishek
authors: Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Lucknow, India.
authors: Singh
authors: S
authors: Rajender
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Angiogenesis; MVD; VEGF; urinary bladder cancer; urothelial carcinoma