Abnormal Expression And Clinical Significance Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) In Patients With Lung Cancer

Objective: The development of lung carcinoma associated with abnormal expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The aim of the present study is to explore changes and clinical values of VEGF-mRNA expression and VEGF levels in the angiogenesis, metastasis and prognosis of human lung cancer.Methods: The VEGF cellular distributions and expression in 38 specimens of patients with lung cancer were investigated with immunohistochemistry stain technology. The total RNAs in tissues of 38 patients with lung cancer was measured , then the levels of VEGF-mRNA expression were analyzed by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and the levels of VEGF in sera of patients with lung cancer, benign lung diseases and healthy controls were detected through ELISA method.Results: The VEGF positive stain was 76% in 38 cases of lung cancer specimens. The 89% rate of VEGF stain was found for clinical stage III cases and 92% for stage IV lung cancers. The significantly higher expression of VEGF was evidenced in patients with lymph node metastasis (84%), distant metastasis (90%), and lung cancers with lower histological differentiation (89%), respectively. The expression level of total RNA was significantly higher in patients with lung cancers than that in their paracancerous or distant lung tissues. The VEGF expression were tightly correlated with total RNA concentration of lung carcinoma (P < 0.01). The predominant expression of VEGF121 and VEGF 165 gene fragments was found in lung cancer specimens by RT-PCR analysis. No significant difference of serum VEGF levels was detected between caseswith lung cancer and patients with benign diseases(mainly inflammatory disease) . However, the VEGF level of cases with benign diseases was decreased significantly after patients with anti-inflammation medication. Conclusions: The present data suggested that the tumor tissue VEGF expression and VEGF-mRNA analysis as well as serum VEGF level in patients with lung cancer may be a useful indicator for tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.