Basic fibroblast growth factor shows prognostic impact on survival in operable non-small cell lung cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
The important role of angiogenesis displaying in tumor development and metastasis has been generally realized. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and endostatin (ES) are critical members of angiogenesis modulating the balance between pro-angiogenenic and anti-angiogenenic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating level of these factors in serum and explore their prognostic significance in 96 operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.


METHODS
Pre-operational serum VEGF, bFGF, and ES were determined by commercially available enzyme-link immunosorbent assay for 96 NSCLC patients and compared to a cohort of healthy controls (n = 51). Values were correlated with clinicopathological features and overall survival (OS).


RESULTS
The pretreatment serum levels of VEGF, bFGF and ES in NSCLC were significantly higher than in the healthy control (P < 0.001, P = 0.009 and P = 0.016, respectively). Univariate survival analysis showed that a high bFGF level correlated with shorter OS and remained an independent factor in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.918, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.061-3.464). In the squamous subtype, a high bFGF indicated a particularly poor prognosis (HR = 2.609, 95% CI, 1.188-5.729).


CONCLUSIONS
bFGF is an independent predictor of poor survival in patients with NSCLC. For patients with high serum bFGF, aggressive antitumor treatments should be given after surgery. Approaches targeting the bFGF signaling pathway should be considered as potentially promising therapeutic strategies in NSCLC, especially for the squamous subtype.
Department of General Medicine, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Ming-Ming
MM
Hu
Department of General Medicine, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Ying
Y
Hu
Department of Anesthesia, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Guang-Kuo
GK
Gao
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Yi
Y
Han
Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Guang-Li
GL
Shi
Department of General Medicine, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute/Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijng, China.
Bao-Lan
BL
Li
Angiogenesis; basic fibroblast growth factor; non-small-cell lung cancer; prognosis