Significance of Serum Level of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Lung Carcinoma

Objective To investigate the clinical value of serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in patients with lung carcinoma and to evaluate the mechanism of VEGF to affect lung carcinoma growth,development and metastasis.Methods The expression of VEGF in lung carcinoma tissue was examined by immunohistochemisty in 63 patients treated with curative surgery.The serum level of VEGF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The relationship between the survival time and the serum level of VEGF was analysed by the Kaplan-Meier method.Results The serum level of VEGF was significantly higher in patient with lung cancer than in control group.The serum level of VEGF had no significant relationship with the gender,age,pathologic type,differentiation and tumor factor(T).There was significant difference in serum level of VEGF between patients with different lymphatic metastasis and clinical stage.There was positive correlation between the serum level of VEGF and the expression of VEGF in lung carcinoma tissue.Survival analysis showed that the high serum VEGF was associated with a high risk of death.Conclusion VEGF plays an important role in lymphatic metastasis and lung carcinoma development.The serum level of VEGF may be an reliable predictor for prognosis.VEGF is secreted by tumor cells and subsequently released into blood.It may be the mechanism of VEGF to promote tumor growth and metastasis.