Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with hemangiosarcoma

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a dimeric glycosylated polypep tide growth factor with potent angiogenic. mitogenic, and vascular permeabi lity-enhancing properties specific for endothelial cells. In humans. VEGF s eems to play a major role in tumor growth, and plasma concentrations correl ate with tumor burden, response to therapy, and disease progression. This s tudy compared plasma VEGF concentrations in healthy client-owned dogs (n = 17) to dogs with hemangiosarcoma (HSA: n = 16). Dogs with HSA were signific antly more likely to have detectable concentrations of plasma VEGF (13/17) compared to healthy dogs (1/17: P <.001). The median plasma VEGF concentrat ion for dogs with HSA was 17.2 pg/mL (range. < 1.0-66.7 pg/mL). Plasma VEGF concentrations in dogs with HSA did not correlate with stage of disease or turner burden. but 1 dog had undetectable VEGF during chemotherapy that su bsequently increased with disease progression.