Major surgery increases serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factoronly temporarily

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a hypoxia-induced endothelial cell-specific mitogen, which is angiogenic in vivo and up-regul ated in several malignancies. VEGF can be used as a prognostic marker, but the effect of surgical trauma on serum VEGF (S-VEGF) concentrations is unkn own and might reduce the value of VEGF as a serum marker. METHODS: We monitored S-VEGF levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients undergoing surgery. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with major surgery had slightly elevated S-VEGF compared with the preoperative level (median 9.5 pg/mL) on the first (media n 35 pg/mL; P = 0.0002) and third (median 19 pg/mL; P = 0.004) postoperativ e day, but not in later samples. The levels measured in 8 patients after mi nor surgery did not differ from the preoperative levels (P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Even major surgery is associated only with a slight and transi ent increase in S-VEGF levels, and, therefore, is unlikely to interfere mar kedly with the use of VEGF as a prognostic marker. (C) 2000 by Excerpta Med ica, Inc.