Elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and normal level of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the sera of patients with renal cell carcinoma

Peripheral blood levels of two potent angiogenic factors, vascular endothel ial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), were me asured in 40 renal cancer (RCC) patients and 40 patients without cancer (co ntrols) using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay. As compared with the co ntrols, there was no increase in bFGF levels in RCC patients. While, VEGF l evels in RCC patients significantly increased and correlated with the tumor status such as tumor volume, tumor extent and existence of metastasis. The results will indicate that RCC liberates VEGF into the systemic blood flow , and that serum VEGF level is a possible marker for RCC.