[Correlation between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and prognosis of lung cancinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prognosis of lung cancer.

METHODS: Apply the SP immunohistochemistry stain method to investigate the expression of VEGF in 60 specimens of patients with lung cancer, who had undergone curative resection more than 36 months before.

RESULTS: The VEGF stain positive rate is 60% in 60 cases of lung cancer specimens; The immunoreactivity of VEGF was almost exclusively restricted to the tumor cells, the positive expression of VEGF showed significantly higher in the patients with lymph node metastasis and/or relapse. The positive rates of VEGF were higher in N1, N2 groups (53%, 80%) than in No group (23%, P < 0.01), and in relapse group (80%) than in non-relapse group (53%, P < 0.05). Postoperative survival time was shorter in VEGF(+) group (31 +/- 7 months) than in VEGF(-) group (64 +/- 7 months, P < 0.05). The 3, 5 year survival rates showed significant difference between VEGF(+) (31%, 11%) and VEGF(-) (88%, 50%) groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest VEGF is a reliable prognostic parameter and antiangiogenesis therapy will be a useful strategy in treatment of the human lung cancer.