Clinical Value of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Detection in Forecasting Distant Metastasis Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE:Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cl osely relates with the malignancy and metastasis of various kinds of cancers. Th is study was designed to evaluate the value of VEGF detection in forecasting dis tant metastasis risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) patients. METHODS: Tumor b iopsies,and serum specimens were collected before treatment from 59 pathological ly diagnosed NPC patients, hospitalized in our hospital from Mar. 1999 to Feb. 2 000. Immunohistochemistry LSAB method was used to detect VEGF in NPC tissues. VE GF in NPC serum was detected by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Through follow-up study, the relationship between VEGF and dist ant metastasis of NPC patients was observed. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF in NPC tissue,and serum positively related with the distant metastasis (P 0.05). Non-distant metastasis survival rates of different tissue VEGF groups were 100 %(-), 95.24%(+), 65.19%(++),and 58.93%(+++),significant diffe rence existed between every 2 groups (P=0.019 3). Non-distant metastasis surviv al rates of different serum VEGF groups were 82.57%( 466.78 ng/L) ,and 59.11% (≥466.78 ng/L)(P=0.021 1). Multi-prognostic factors analysis showed that VEGF expression in NPC tissue and serum had significant effects on distant metastasis of NPC. CONCLUSIONS: The detection of VEGF either in NPC tissue or in serum cou ld be regarded as a valuable indicator for predicting distant metastasis risk of NPC patients. Combined detection of them could increase the chances of forcasti ng distant metastasis in NPC patients.