Serum VEGF and bFGF in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

AIM: The role of angiogenesis in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) remains controversial. We investigated the role of serum concentration levels of VEGF and bFGF in IBD patients and assessed their potential association to disease activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 40 IBD patients with moderate to severe attack of the disease and 40 healthy controls. VEGF and bFGF serum levels were assessed. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured as markers of disease activity and correlated to VEGF and bFGF. RESULTS: The demographic characteristics of both patients and controls were homogenous, in regard of age, sex, smoke and concomitant diseases. VEGF serum levels were significantly higher in IBD patients compared to controls (1158.5±845.4 pg/ml vs 464.6±283.1 pg/ml, p<0.001). Serum concentration levels of bFGF did not differ between groups. Linear regression analysis showed no direct association between VEGF or bFGF and CRP or ESR. CONCLUSION: VEGF, but not bFGF, may have a prominent role in patients with IBD, without though direct association to disease activity. KEY WORDS: bFGF, Inflammatory bowel disease, VEGF.

Predictive significance of preoperative serum VEGF-C and VEGF-D, independently and combined with Ca19-9, for the presence of malignancy and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cumulative evidence demonstrate that lymphangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)-C and -D are over-expressed and associated to lymph node metastasis (LNM) in gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate whether preoperative serum levels of VEGF-C and VEGF-D could be useful tumor markers in patients with operable gastric adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We prospectively examined serum samples from 40 patients and 40 non-cancer controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Logistic regression analysis was implemented. VEGF-C and VEGF-D were studied independently and in combination with Ca19-9. RESULTS: In gastric cancer patients, preoperative VEGF-C was significantly lower as compared to controls and to postoperative VEGF-C (P < 0.001); preoperative VEGF-D was significantly higher as compared to controls and to postoperative VEGF-D (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis identified a VEGF-C/VEGF-D cut-off value of < 2.7 for the presence of gastric cancer, with 83% sensitivity and 75% specificity (P < 0.001). Backward stepwise selection modeling including sex, age, VEGF-D and Ca19-9, predicted the presence of LNM with 86% sensitivity and 82% specificity (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Circulating levels of VEGF-C and VEGF-D could play a role as biomarkers for serological detection and staging in gastric cancer.