Elevated VEGF concentrations in ascites and serum predict adverse prognosis in ovarian cancer. (June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liang, Bin; Guo, Zhengdong; Li, Yunhui; Liu, Chuan
• Is Part Of: Scandinavian journal of clinical & laboratory investigation. Volume 73:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 309
• Page End: 314
• Publication Date: 2013-06
• Subjects: Clinical biochemistry -- Periodicals; Physiology, Pathological -- Periodicals; Physiology, Experimental -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Clinical medicine -- Periodicals; 616.0072
• DOI: 10.3109/00365513.2013.773593
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0036-5513

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold> <italic>Objective</italic>.</bold> To evaluate if serum and ascites VEGF-C concentration could be used as prognostic markers in ovarian cancer. <bold><italic>Materials and methods</italic>.</bold> Serum and ascites VEGF-C were measured in 118 patients with ovarian cancer and 24 patients with benign gynaecological disease. ELISA method was employed to evaluate VEGF-C concentration. <bold><italic>Results</italic>.</bold> Serum and ascites in ovarian cancer patients were higher than those in benign gynaecological disease (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001). Serum VEGF-C and ascites VEGF-C were both correlated with FIGO stage, tumor grade, and lymph node metastasis (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that FIGO stage (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001), tumor grade (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001), lymph node metastasis (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001), serum VEGF-C concentration (<italic>P</italic> = 0.0001), and ascites VEGF-C concentration (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001) were significantly correlated with overall survival. Including these variables in a multivariate analysis revealed that VEGF-C concentrations in serum and ascites were independent predictors of shorter overall survival. <bold><italic>Conclusion</italic>.</bold> Elevated VEGF-C concentrations in serum and ascites can be seen as the novel, widely available independent predictors of shorter overall survival in ovarian cancer.</p> </abstract>