This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hormbrey, E. Articles by Harris, A. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hormbrey, E. Articles by Harris, A. L.

The Relationship of Human Wound Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) After Breast Cancer Surgery to Circulating VEGF and Angiogenesis

Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford OX3 9DU [E. H., A. L. H.]; Plastic Surgery Department [E. H.], Stoke Mandeville Hospital [A. R.], Aylesbury HP21 8AL; Cancer Research UK Medical Oncology Unit, Oxford OX3 7LJ [C. H.]; and Wound Healing Institute, University of London [D. A. M.], United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The assessment of locally produced proangiogenic cytokines may be an indicator of the stromal response of an individual to wounding or cancer. This study describes the profile of VEGF production in human surgical wounds in both breast cancer patients and reduction mammoplasty controls, and assesses the changes in systemic VEGF levels and platelet profiles perioperatively.

Experimental Design: Perioperative surgical wound fluid samples and blood were collected daily up to 13 days from 52 patients undergoing breast cancer surgery (local tumor burden), delayed breast reconstruction (previous tumor burden but none present at the time of surgery), or breast reduction surgery (noncancer control). Samples were analyzed for VEGF by ELISA

Results: VEGF levels in surgical wound fluid were lowest on day 1 followed by an early peak on day 2 of >900% the corresponding serum value. There was a trend in the VEGF response at the day-2 time point: reduction > reconstruction > cancer subgroups, with a significant difference between the reduction and cancer subgroups (P < 0.05). There was a 20–30-fold variation in the response between days 1 and 2, and within subgroups.

Conclusions: Much higher local concentrations of angiogenic factors may need to be antagonized for effective antiangiogenic therapy, and there is great heterogeneity between patients. The small peripheral blood changes compared with large tumor fluid changes show that there is a tissue barrier. This has relevance for design of antiangiogenic therapy trials, highlighting the need for individually tailored treatment with biologically targeted interventions.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Demicheli, M. W. Retsky, W. J. M. Hrushesky, M. Baum, and I. D. Gukas The effects of surgery on tumor growth: a century of investigations Ann. Onc., June 10, 2008; (2008) mdn386v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F.-C. Bidard, A. Vincent-Salomon, S. Gomme, C. Nos, Y. de Rycke, J. P. Thiery, B. Sigal-Zafrani, L. Mignot, X. Sastre-Garau, J.-Y. Pierga, et al. Disseminated Tumor Cells of Breast Cancer Patients: A Strong Prognostic Factor for Distant and Local Relapse Clin. Cancer Res., June 1, 2008; 14(11): 3306 - 3311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Brostjan, K. Gebhardt, B. Gruenberger, V. Steinrueck, H. Zommer, H. Freudenthaler, S. Roka, and T. Gruenberger Neoadjuvant Treatment of Colorectal Cancer with Bevacizumab: The Perioperative Angiogenic Balance Is Sensitive to Systemic Thrombospondin-1 Levels Clin. Cancer Res., April 1, 2008; 14(7): 2065 - 2074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Fields, D. B. Jeffe, K. Trinkaus, Q. Zhang, C. Arthur, R. Aft, J. R. Dietz, T. J. Eberlein, W. E. Gillanders, and J. A. Margenthaler Surgical Resection of the Primary Tumor is Associated with Increased Long-Term Survival in Patients with Stage IV Breast Cancer after Controlling for Site of Metastasis Ann. Surg. Oncol., December 1, 2007; 14(12): 3345 - 3351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Hoeben, B. Landuyt, M. S. Highley, H. Wildiers, A. T. Van Oosterom, and E. A. De Bruijn Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Angiogenesis Pharmacol. Rev., December 1, 2004; 56(4): 549 - 580. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]