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SERUM VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH MEDULLARY THYROID CARCINOMA

M Bugalho, Servico de Endocrinologia, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil E.P.E., lisboa, Portugal
D Madureira, Laboratorio de Endocrinologia, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisboa, Portugal
C Espadinha, Centro de Investigacao de Patobiologia Molecular, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisboa, Portugal
A Font, Laboratorio de Endocrinologia, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisboa, Portugal
L Sobrinho, Servico de Endocrinologia, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia de Lisboa, Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Lisboa, Portugal

Correspondence: Carla Espadinha, Email: carla_esp{at}sapo.pt

Abstract

Background: High levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been reported in patients with cancers of different origins. There are no data comparing serum VEGF levels of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients to healthy subjects.

Objective: We tried to assess whether serum VEGF concentration in MTC patients is correlated with tumour extension and whether this marker might be used to further refine the selection of candidates for future therapies with receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Methods: Sera from 57 individuals divided into 5 groups: I healthy individuals (n = 14), II MTC patients in remission (n = 10), III MTC patients with residual disease (n = 12), IV MTC patients with loco-regional disease (n = 11), V MTC patients with distant metastases (n = 10) were analysed for serum VEGF and calcitonin (CT) levels.

Results: Analysis of serum VEGF did not disclose significant differences among the 5 groups. Mean serum VEGF level of patients with distant metastases was not significantly different from that observed in healthy individuals (319.4 ± 49.78 vs 313.7 ± 43.13 ng/L). Serum VEGF levels correlated positively with serum CT (r = 0.4891; P = 0.0394) for CT values below 2.500 ng/L whereas there was no correlation for CT values above this threshold.

Conclusions: Serum VEGF levels in MTC patients are not significantly different from those found in healthy individuals and did not correlate with the extension of disease.