Published in:
01-07-2013 | Original Paper
High circulating VEGF level predicts poor overall survival in lung cancer
Published in: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology | Issue 7/2013
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Purpose
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered as the best-validated key regulator of angiogenesis, while the prognostic role of circulating VEGF in lung cancer remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of circulating VEGF.
Methods
Nineteen studies with a total number of 2,890 patients were analyzed in our meta-analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify the predictive ability of circulating VEGF on survival.
Results
The pooled HR of all 17 studies evaluating overall survival (OS) was 1.29 (95 % CI 1.19–1.40, p < 0.001), indicating high circulating VEGF predicted poor OS. When grouped by disease stages, the pooled HRs were 0.97 (95 % CI 0.47–1.47, p < 0.001) for operable stage and 1.34 (95 % CI 1.18–1.49, p < 0.001) for inoperable stage. The pooled HRs were 1.28 (95 % CI 1.15–1.42, p < 0.001) for serum and 1.31 (95 % CI 1.13–1.49, p < 0.001) for plasma, when categorized by blood sample. Meta-analysis of circulating VEGF related to progression-free survival (PFS) was performed in 7 studies, and the pooled HR was 1.03 (95 % CI 0.96–1.09).
Conclusions
Our results indicate that high level of circulating VEGF predicts poor OS in lung cancer, yet it does not predict poor PFS.