Kumar H, Heer K, Lee P W, Duthie G S, MacDonald A W, Greenman J, Kerin M J, Monson J R
University of Hull Academic Surgical Unit, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, United Kingdom.
Clin Cancer Res. 1998 May;4(5):1279-85.
Neovascularization has been shown to be essential for the growth of solid tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important mediators of angiogenesis. This study was conducted to determine the significance of this cytokine as a tumor marker for staging colorectal cancer. Preoperative serum VEGF was measured in 108 colorectal cancer patients and in 136 normal healthy controls. The results of this study showed a significant difference between the four T classes, Union International Contre Cancer (UICC) stages, and Dukes' stages. In comparison to serum levels in controls (median, 173.8 pg/ml), VEGF levels were significantly elevated in T2 (P = 0.003), T3, and T4 (P < 0.0005); UICC I (P = 0.001), UICC II, UICC III, and UICC IV (P < 0.0005); and Dukes' A (P = 0.001), Dukes' B, and Dukes' C (P < 0.0005). Serum VEGF showed a significant elevation over control in node-negative (P < 0.0005) and in node-positive colorectal cancer (P < 0.0005) patients. Node-positive cancer had a significant elevation of serum VEGF compared to node-negative cancer (P = 0.008). This study reveals that preoperative serum VEGF can detect all but very early colorectal cancer i.e., T1 (P = 0.06).
新血管生成已被证明对实体肿瘤的生长至关重要。血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）是血管生成最重要的介质之一。本研究旨在确定这种细胞因子作为结直肠癌分期肿瘤标志物的意义。对108例结直肠癌患者和136例正常健康对照者术前血清VEGF进行了检测。本研究结果显示，在四个T分期、国际抗癌联盟（UICC）分期和Dukes分期之间存在显著差异。与对照组血清水平（中位数，173.8 pg/ml）相比，T2期（P = 0.003）、T3期和T4期（P < 0.0005）；UICC I期（P = 0.001）、UICC II期、UICC III期和UICC IV期（P < 0.0005）；以及Dukes A期（P = 0.001）、Dukes B期和Dukes C期（P < 0.0005）的VEGF水平显著升高。血清VEGF在无淋巴结转移（P < 0.0005）和有淋巴结转移的结直肠癌患者（P < 0.0005）中均显著高于对照组。有淋巴结转移的癌症患者血清VEGF水平显著高于无淋巴结转移的癌症患者（P = 0.008）。本研究表明，术前血清VEGF除了极早期结直肠癌（即T1期，P = 0.06）外，能检测出所有结直肠癌。
