Serum vascular endothelial growth factor in breast cancer: Its relation with cancer type and estrogen receptor status

Purpose: Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth. Vascular endothelial g rowth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent angiogenic cytokines. In brea st cancer, tumor VEGF has been shown to have a good correlation with relaps e-free survival. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of ser um VEGF levels to the various indices of breast cancer and known tumor mark ers carcinoembryonic antigen and CA15.3. Experimental Design: Preoperative serum VEGF levels were determined in 200 women with breast cancer and compared with serum VEGF levels in 88 healthy female controls. Results. The serum VEGF levels of the cancer patients as a group were signi ficantly elevated compared with those of the controls (P<0.0005). VEGF leve ls were elevated in patients with invasive cancer of ductal/no specific typ e, ductal carcinoma in situ, and estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. Pa tients with lobular carcinoma and ER-negative tumors had serum VEGF levels comparable with those in the controls. VEGF was more sensitive than CA15.3 and carcinoembryonic antigen in detecting breast cancer. Conclusions: Preoperative serum VEGF detects breast cancer with a sensitivi ty of 62.1%. The relationship to cancer type and ER status may have future therapeutic implications. Additional long-term studies are required to dete rmine the prognostic significance of serum VEGF.