Angiogenic factors: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (b-FGF) are not necessarily elevated in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma
M. Edgren et al., Angiogenic factors: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (b-FGF) are not necessarily elevated in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, ANTICANC R, 21(2B), 2001, pp. 1423-1429
Serum analysis of Vasacular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and basic Fibr
oblast Growth Factor (b-FGF) levels were studied in 53 patients with renal
cell carcinoma (RCC). Approximately 2/3 of the patients had disseminated di
sease at diagnosis, the remainder had no evidence of metastases. The result
s confirmed that VEGF has a major role in the angiogenesis of RCC. No corre
lation was observed between VEGF and/or B-FGF and the presence or absence o
f metastases, nor was any correlation observed between VEGF and/or b-FGF an
d patient survival. Thus, to utilise VEGF and/or b-FGF as a tumour marker a
t the time of diagnosis to predict patients with a high risk of progression
, where an adjuvant therapeutic approach would be of great value, seems to
be limited. Not all patients with RCC exhibited elevated serum levels of VE
GF and/or b-FGF. No correlation was observed between tumour stage and serum
levels of these angiogenic peptides.