Vascular endothelial growth factor in the serum of patients with non-small cell lung cancer: correlation with platelet and leukocyte counts

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic peptide expressed in a wide variety of tumors, and it stimulates angiogenesis and increases vascular permeability. Increased expression of VEGF may be associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC). Methods: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the levels of VEGF were determined in serum from 41 patients with untreated NSCLC (Stage: IIB, 3; IIIA, 6; IIIB, 17; IV, 15; Histology: squamous cell carcinoma, 18; adenocarcinoma. 14; undetermined, 9). Results: The median VEGF level was 312 pg/ml, ranging from 70 to 1440 pg/ml. Patients were divided into high VEGF ( > 312 pg/ml) and low VEGF (less than or equal to 312 pg/ml) groups using the median value as a cut-off. There were no significant associations between the serum VEGF levels and various clinicopathologic characteristics including age, gender, histologic type, stage and treatment. A significant positive correlation was found between serum VEGF levels and platelet counts (r = 0.495; P = 0.001). In addition, serum VEGF levels also correlated with leukocyte counts (r = 0.478; P = 0.002). In seven patients with measurement of follow-up serum VEGF levels at the end of treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy), the median serum VEGF level significantly decreased after the treatment (416 pg/ml; range, 96-812 pg/ml vs. 185 pg/mI; range, 49-487 pg/ml; P = 0.028). However, the median platelet count (317,000/mul; range, 190,000-395,000/ Ll vs. 246,000/mul; range, 72,000-271,000/mul; P = 0.028) and leukocyte count (10,000/mul; range, 8700-17,200/mul vs. 5100/mul; range, 3900-9500/mul; P=0.018) also decreased after the treatment. There was no statistically significant difference in the median survival of the patients between high VEGF group and low VEGF group (8 months vs. 9 months, P = 0.647). Conclusions: Although serum VEGF level was significantly associated with platelet and leukocyte counts in NSCLC patients, it did not correlate with tumor burden and prognosis of the patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.