Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in locally invasive prostate cancer is prognostic for radiotherapy outcome
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Coupland III, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Department of Histopathology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Department of Medical Statistics, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Academic Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom)
Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important hypoxia-inducible pro-angiogenic protein that has been linked with an adverse survival outcome after radiotherapy in other cancer types: we hypothesized that this may also occur in prostate cancer. A retrospective study was, therefore, carried out to evaluate the potential of tumor VEGF expression to predict radiotherapy outcome in patients with high-risk prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: Fifty patients with locally advanced (T3 N0 M0) tumors of Gleason score {>=}6, and who received radiotherapy alone as primary treatment for their disease, were studied. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression was assessed on pretreatment diagnostic tumor biopsies using a semiquantitative immunohistochemical scoring system. The results were analyzed in relation to clinicopathologic factors and patient outcome including biochemical failure and disease-specific mortality. Results: High VEGF expression was associated with a poor prognosis: in univariate log rank analysis, VEGF was the only significant prognostic factor for disease-specific survival (p = 0.035). High VEGF expression also associated with increased Gleason score (p = 0.02), but not posttreatment biochemical failure. Conclusion: High tumor expression of VEGF identified patients at high risk of failure of treatment with radiotherapy. These patients might benefit from additional treatment approaches incorporating anti-angiogenic or hypoxia-specific agents.
- OSTI ID:
- 20850298
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 67, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2006.08.077; PII: S0360-3016(06)02969-5; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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