Tissue concentration of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor incolorectal cancer

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for the continuous growth of tumour c ells under unfavourable conditions in patients. Experimentally, platelet-de rived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) promotes tumour proliferatio n by stimulating angiogenesis. However, the clinical significance and regul ating mechanism of its production in colorectal cancer are not well underst ood. Methods: The tissue concentration of PD-ECGF in colorectal neoplasm an d normal mucosa was determined. The systemic oxygenation and nutritional st atus of the patients were also evaluated. Results: The mean concentration o f PD-ECGF in the cancer was significantly higher than that in the normal mu cosa or adenoma. The tissue concentration of PD-ECGF in the cancer was asso ciated with the clinicopathologic findings, including the tumour size, sero sal invasion, lymphatic vessel involvement, and lymph node metastasis. It w as also correlated with the patient's age, levels of PO2 and O-2 saturation in arterial blood, and the variables reflecting nutritional status. The mu ltivariate regression model showed that the serum concentration of cholines terase, the arterial level of Po, lymph node metastasis, and the tumour siz e were the independent factors that influenced the tissue concentration of PD-ECGF in colorectal cancer. In contrast, these factors were nor associate d with the PD-ECGF concentration in normal mucosa. Conclusions: PD-ECGF may play an important role in the progression of colorectal cancer. Systemic d eterioration of oxygenation and nutritional condition in wasted patients ma y also lead to local activation of PD-ECGF specifically in the cancer tissu e. PD-ECGF may be indispensable for maintaining relentless growth of colore ctal cancer, and the control of its expression may be of therapeutic import ance.