Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) as a Biomarker in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck Patients Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP Vol. 15; no. 7; pp. 3261 - 3265
• Main Authors: Srivastava, Vikas Kumar, Gara, Rishi Kumar, Rastogi, Namrata, Mishra, Durga Prasad, Ahmed, Mohd Kaleem, Gupta, Shalini, Goel, Madhu Mati, Bhatt, Madan Lal Brahma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: prognostic marker; squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck; serum levels; VEGF-A
• ISSN: 1513-7368; 2476-762X

Background: To evaluate serum VEGF-A levels in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) patients and relationships with response to therapy. Materials and Methods: Serum VEGF-A levels in patients (n=72) treated with radiotherapy (RT) or radio-chemotherapy (RCT) and controls (n=40) were measured by ELISA. Results: Serum VEGF-A levels of the SCCHN cases were significantly higher (p=0.001) than in healthy controls, and in patients with positive as compared to negative lymph node status (p=0.004). Similarly, patients with advanced stage (Stage III-IV) disease had more greatly elevated levels of serum VEGF-A level than their early stage (Stage I-II) counterparts (p=0.001). In contrast, there was no significant difference (p=0.57) in serum level of VEGF-A in patients with advanced T-stage (T3-4) as compared to early stage (T1-2). Similarly, patients with distant metastasis had no significant (p=0.067) elevation in serum VEGF-A level as compared to non-metastatic disease. However, the non-responder patients had significantly higher serum VEGF-A level as compared to responders (p=0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the serum VEGF-A level may be a useful biomarker for the prediction of response to therapy in SCCHN.