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Higher plasma vascular endothelial growth factor levels correlate with menopause, overexpression of p53, and recurrence of breast cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important factor involved in angiogenesis. Many studies have reported that the expression of VEGF in breast cancer is an unfavorable prognostic factor. However, there are few studies that have analyzed blood VEGF levels because most used serum VEGF, generally thought to originate from platelets. We measured plasma VEGF levels, which evaluate the level of tumor-derived VEGF, in various breast diseases.

Method

We analyzed 15 patients with benign breast disease, 187 patients with primary breast cancer, 32 patients with no postoperative recurrence, and 56 patients with recurrence. Plasma VEGF levels were measured by ELISA.

Results

Plasma VEGF levels were higher in malignant than in benign breast disease, and were also high in patients with recurrence or distant metastasis. In primary cases, higher VEGF levels were clearly correlated with menopause and overexpression of p53, and postmenopausal patients with high levels had a significantly lower disease-free survival rate.

Conclusion

These results suggest that plasma VEGF levels in breast cancer have a clinical significance in that they are associated with the extent or metastasis of malignant lesions and are involved in angiogenesis in postmenopausal patients.

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Reprint requests to Reiki Nishimura, Department of Surgery, Kumamoto City Hospital, 1-1-60 Kotoh, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto 862-8505, Japan.

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Nishimura, R., Nagao, K., Miyayama, H. et al. Higher plasma vascular endothelial growth factor levels correlate with menopause, overexpression of p53, and recurrence of breast cancer. Breast Cancer 10, 120–128 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02967636

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02967636

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