Abstract | OBJECTIVES: Vascular endothelial cell growth factor ( VEGF) plays an important role in the biology of gynecological cancer, usually linked with aggressive tumour behaviour and a poor postoperative outcome. Yet, its role in benign breast/gynecological conditions is less clear. METHODS: Serum VEGF was analysed in a series of 49 patients with gynecological cancer and 61 patients with benign disease and compared to those of 12 normal female subjects. In addition, the activation status of VEGFR2/KDR receptors was investigated in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues and related to VEGF. RESULTS: Mean serum levels of VEGF were significantly higher in patients with breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer compared to healthy controls and those with benign breast/ gynecologic disease in the respective organs. A similar trend was noted in some cases of simple endometrial hyperplasia, fibroadenoma and fibrocystic disease of the breast. The expression of phosphorylated VEGFR2/KDR receptors was higher in breast, endometrial, ovarian cancer in patients with high VEGF serum levels and this reached a level of statistical significance when all malignancies were combined. CONCLUSIONS:
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Authors | Michael I Koukourakis, Vassilios Limberis, Ioannis Tentes, Emmanuel Kontomanolis, Alexandros Kortsaris, Efthimios Sivridis, Alexandra Giatromanolaki |
Journal | Cytokine
(Cytokine)
Vol. 53
Issue 3
Pg. 370-5
(Mar 2011)
ISSN: 1096-0023 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 21208810
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Copyright | Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Chemical References |
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
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Topics |
- Breast Neoplasms
(blood, metabolism, pathology)
- Endometrial Neoplasms
(blood, metabolism, pathology)
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Female
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- Neoplasm Staging
- Ovarian Neoplasms
(blood, metabolism, pathology)
- Phosphorylation
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
(blood)
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
(metabolism)
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