title: Vascular endothelial growth factor and tryptase changes after chemoembolization in hepatocarcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tryptase in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) before and after trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE).
  
  
  METHODS
  VEGF and tryptase serum concentrations were assessed from 71 unresectable HCC patients before and after hepatic TACE performed by binding DC-Beads(®) to doxorubicin. VEGF levels were examined for each serum sample using the Quantikine Human VEGF-enzyme-linked immuno-absorbent assay (ELISA), whereas tryptase serum concentrations were assessed for each serum sample by means of fluoro-enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) using the Uni-CAP100 tool. Differences between serum VEGF and tryptase values before and after TACE were evaluated using Student t test. Person's correlation was used to assess the degree of association between the two variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VEGF levels and serum tryptase in HCC patients before TACE had a mean value and standard deviation (SD) of 114.31 ± 79.58 pg/mL and 8.13 ± 3.61 μg/L, respectively. The mean levels and SD of VEGF levels and serum tryptase in HCC patients after TACE were 238.14 ± 109.41 pg/mL and 4.02 ± 3.03 μg/L. The changes between the mean values of concentration of VEGF and tryptase before treatment and after treatment was statistically significant (P < 0.000231 and P < 0.00124, by Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney respectively). A significant correlation between VEGF levels before and after TACE and between tryptase levels before and after TACE was demonstrated (r = 0.68, P = 0.003; r = 0.84, P = 0.000 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot results suggest that the higher serum VEGF levels and the lower tryptase levels following TACE may be potential biomarkers changing in response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranieri
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammendola
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marech
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laterza
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abbate
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oakley
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: Girolamo Ranieri, Ilaria Marech, Caroline Oakley, Cosmo Damiano Gadaleta, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II", 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosmo Damiano
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gadaleta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D053802:Tryptases / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D004317:Doxorubicin; D053802:Tryptases
keywords: Chemoembolization; Hepatocellular cancer; Serum levels; Tryptase; Vascular endothelial growth factor