Prognostic and predictive value of vascular endothelial growth factor and its soluble receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 levels in the sera of small cell lung cancer patients

Abstract

Low serum VEGF concentration is a significant and independent prognostic factor in SCLC patients. Surveillance of VEGF and its receptors to predict chemotherapy response is not useful. Whether the levels of serum VEGF and its receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 have value in detecting treatment modalities of SCLC need further studies.

Prognostic Factors for Survival of Patients with Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer - a Retrospective Single Institution Analysis

“…The tumors in most patients with ES-SCLC will eventually progress (after an initial response to chemotherapy), and the patient will succumb to the cancer. Our study suggests the lack of liver metastasis and the ability of a patient to receive and tolerate multiple lines of chemotherapy were associated with longer survival Studies have suggested various factors influence treatment results, disease progression, and long-term survival in patients with SCLC (Fizazi et al, 1998;Paesmans et al, 2000;Ando et al, 2004;Singh et al, 2005;Ustuner et al, 2008;Ou et al, 2009). In this study, survival in patients with ES-SCLC was associated with liver metastasis, second-line chemotherapy, radiotherapy, normal initial levels of hemoglobin, and tumor response to first-line chemotherapy.…”

“…Reasons for discrepancies between our study and other studies may reflect different methods for measuring survival and different sample sizes and study designs. Other factors that were not investigated in this study but have been indicated as possible prognostic factors include levels of VEGF, performance status, Asian ethnicity, socioeconomic status, weight loss, neutrophil count, and white blood cell levels (Paesmans et al, 2000;Ustuner et al, 2008;Li et al, 2010).…”

“…Earlier studies have identified a number of factors that potentially may affect treatment response and long-term survival; however, the findings have not been consistent (Paesmans et al, 2000;Bremnes et al, 2003;Ando et al, 2004;Ustuner et al, 2008;Ou et al, 2009;Li et al, 2010). But the consistent conclusion was that the identification of prognostic factors might be useful for the better evaluation of treatment outcome in clinical trials and the use of a targeted and specific treatment of SCLC.…”

Association of plasma VEGF-A, soluble VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 levels and clinical response and survival in advanced colorectal cancer patients receiving bevacizumab with modified FOLFOX6

“…However, the predictive values of plasma sVegFr-1 and sVegFr-2 levels for chemotherapy responses are still controversial. Ustuner et al reported that no significant differences were detected between the concentration of serum sVegFr-1 and sVegr-2 and chemotherapy response in small cell lung cancer patients (34). In contrast, wierzbowska et al reported correlations between the pretreatment plasma VegFr-1 concentration, tumor burden and poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AMl) patients (32).…”

Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes in Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

“…Current trials are investigating the role of interferon either as a vaccine or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy in SCLC. Initial reports of maintenance therapy with thalidomide following induction with platinum -etoposide in patients with ES-SCLC have been promising (Conney et al, 2005;Ustuner et al, 2008). This approach needs evaluation in the future.…”