Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors A, C and D in Human Breast Tumors

Abstract

Available evidence suggests that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) a potent regulator of vasculogenesis and tumor angiogenesis may be a predictor of recurrence in breast cancer patients. We sought to determine whether VEGF serum levels (VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-D) in 377 patients with malignant and benign breast tumors differ and whether there is association between vascular growth factors, clinicopathologic features and prognosis. There was no significant difference in investigated circulating angiogenic markers between patients with malignant and non malignant lesions. We found strong correlation between VEGF-A and VEGF-D and between VEGF- C and VEGF-D. Besides serum VEGF-D levels and estrogen receptor (ER) expressions no other correlations between VEGF and clinicopathologic variables were observed. However, elevated VEGF-A and VEGF-C concentrations were associated with increased number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. In Cox model values of angiogenic serum markers and recognized prognostic markers in breast cancer, VEGF-C turned out as independent prognostic factor. Our study is the first analysis showing correlation between serum concentrations of three angiogenic factors: VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D. Associations between angiogenic cytokines and number of blood cells may be due to release of VEGF from platelets and leucocytes. Prognostic role of VEGF is still uncertain, though VEGF-C has a potential to serve as a prognostic marker.

Serum vascular endothelial growth factors C and D as forecast tools for patients with gallbladder carcinoma

“…The COX analysis showed that the sVEGF-C level might be an independent risk factor of the outcome for GBC. These findings were consistent with those reports showing that a high sVEGF-C level was related to poor prognosis in patients with breast tumors [ 25 ] and gastric cancer [ 10 ]. Other studies have reported that overexpression of VEGF-C was correlated with a poor outcome in GBC patients [ 18 ] and that the serum VEGF-D level in PTC patients might be a useful marker for predicting the outcome [ 11 ].…”

Immunohistochemical Vascular Factor Expression in Canine Inflammatory Mammary Carcinoma

“…The correlation between VEGF-A and VEGF-D was also observed in canine and human mammary tumors. 8,16 Moreover, a correlation between VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 was found in the IC model, which might be related to its lymphangiogenic properties as it was also observed in IMC 8 and IBC. 53 It seems that angiogenic and lymphangiogenic processes are related in CC while the lymphangiogenic process dominates in IC.…”

Identification of Luminal Breast Cancers That Establish a Tumor-Supportive Macroenvironment Defined by Proangiogenic Platelets and Bone Marrow–Derived Cells

“…Our study expands upon these findings by demonstrating differences in the platelet cytokine repertoire between hosts bearing specific luminal breast tumors and cancer-free hosts, and establishing that platelets continue to promote cancer progression even after tumor cells have disseminated to distant sites. Indeed, platelets provide a major serum source of many pro-angiogenic proteins in the circulation of patients with breast (38) and colorectal cancer (39). Hence, our finding that both patelet cargo and function are quantitatively different in hosts bearing certain luminal breast cancers than they are in cancer-free individuals serves as a prerequisite for analyzing platelets from breast cancer patients.…”