Background & objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)closely relates with the malignancy and metastasis of various kinds of cancers. This study was designed to evaluate the value of VEGF detection in forecasting distant metastasis risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)patients.
Methods: Tumor biopsies,and serum specimens were collected before treatment from 59 pathologically diagnosed NPC patients, hospitalized in our hospital from Mar. 1999 to Feb. 2000. Immunohistochemistry LSAB method was used to detect VEGF in NPC tissues. VEGF in NPC serum was detected by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Through follow-up study, the relationship between VEGF and distant metastasis of NPC patients was observed.
Results: The expression of VEGF in NPC tissue,and serum positively related with the distant metastasis (P< 0.05). Non-distant metastasis survival rates of different tissue VEGF groups were 100%(-), 95.24%(+), 65.19%(++), and 58.93%(+++), significant difference existed between every 2 groups (P=0.019 3). Non-distant metastasis survival rates of different serum VEGF groups were 82.57% (< 466.78 ng/L), and 59.11% (>/=466.78 ng/L)(P=0.021 1). Multi-prognostic factors analysis showed that VEGF expression in NPC tissue and serum had significant effects on distant metastasis of NPC.
Conclusions: The detection of VEGF either in NPC tissue or in serum could be regarded as a valuable indicator for predicting distant metastasis risk of NPC patients. Combined detection of them could increase the chances of forcasting distant metastasis in NPC patients.