Relationship between expression of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and efficacy of local advanced esophageal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy

Objective To investigate the expression of serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in local advanced esophageal carcinoma patients, and to explore the relationship between its change rule and the recent curative effect and significance. Methods The serum levels of VEGF in 46 patients with local advanced esophageal carcinoma were detected by ELISA before and after concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the serum levels of VEGF in 46 healthy people were detected at the same time. Results The serum VEGF levels of local advanced esophageal carcinoma patients before treatment and health control group were (264.66±62.11) ng/L and (101.96±39.53) ng/L, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 23.367, P = 0.000). After treatment, the serum VEGF level of patients with esophageal cancer was decreased to (127.50±49.07) ng/L (t = 19.086, P = 0.000). After the treatment, the serum VEGF levels of complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) patients were decreased [(94.03±38.86) ng/L vs (248.79±47.84) ng/L, (117.06±20.68) ng/L vs(295.26±67.20) ng/L, both P = 0.000], the level of the stable disease (SD) patients was decreased, too [(235.63±26.05) ng/L vs (385.67±26.50) ng/L, P = 0.017]. Conclusions The recent curative effects of docetaxel and nedaplatin chemotherapy combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy for the local advanced esophageal carcinoma patients are significant. The levels of serum VEGF before and after treatment can be used as an important index to judge the treatment effect. Key words: Esophageal neoplasms; Drug therapy; Radiotherapy, intensity-modulated; Vascular endothelial growth factors