Serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels in pancreatic cancer patients correlate with advanced and metastatic disease and poor prognosis.

The serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 51 healthy controls and in 58 patients with pancreatic cancer before and 30 days after surgery. Pancreatic cancer patients had significantly higher serum VEGF levels compared with healthy controls with a significant association between serum VEGF levels, disease stage and the presence of both lymph node and distant metastases. Serum levels of VEGF decreased significantly after radical resection of the tumor. Elevated preoperative serum VEGF level was a significant prognostic factor, although not independent of stage, for patient survival. These findings suggest that serum VEGF concentrations may reflect pancreatic cancer progression and that their determination may be clinically useful.