Do preoperative serum vascular endothelial growth factor and migration-inhibitory factor predict the nature of the adnexal masses? A prospective-controlled trial.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to identify the role of preoperative serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and migration inhibitor factor (MIF) in differentiation of benign and malignant adnexal masses, as well as the relationship between prognostic factors and VEGF and MIF in ovarian cancer patients. This prospective study included 41 patients who were admitted between November 2010 and March 2012. In the malignant group, there were 21 patients, and remaining 20 had benign adnexal masses. Age, CA125 levels, grade, stage, presence of ascites and the degree of cytoreduction performed were noted. There was no significant difference between two groups in preoperative serum VEGF and MIF levels (p = 0.118 and p = 0.297, respectively). CA125 levels were significantly higher in the malignant group (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference for VEGF and MIF between the groups evaluated for tumour grade, stage, presence of ascites and degree of cytoreduction performed in the malignant group. Preoperative serum, VEGF and MIF levels are not suitable for the differentiation of malignant and benign adnexal masses, and they do not correlate with the prognostic factors of ovarian cancer in this cohort of patients.