ORIGINAL ARTICLE
SERUM VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES
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1
Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Hematology of the Department of Internal Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey
2
Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Hematology of the Department of Biochemistry, Erzurum, Turkey
Online publication date: 2006-07-15
Publication date: 2006-07-15
Corresponding author
Fuat Erdem
University of Ataturk, Medical School
Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology
25240 Erzurum, Turkey
Telephone: 904422361212-1539
Eur J Gen Med 2006;3(3):116-120
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Aim: Angiogenesis is an important factor in tumoral progression, metastasis and invasion. More recently, it has also been found to play a particular role in hematological malignancies. Methods: In this study, 45 patients harboring hematological malignancies (15 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 10 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 10 multiple myeloma (MM), 10 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)) were compared with 20 healthy individuals matched according to age and sex, regarding serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, a marker for angiogenesis) levels. Results: The difference between serum VEGF levels of the study group (338.4 ± 587.6 pg/mL) and the control group (69.9 ± 24.4 pg/mL) was statistically significant (p<0.05). The highest serum VEGF level (1099.7±906.8 pg/mL) was found in CML subgroup. Conclusion: Serum VEGF levels of the patients with hematological malignancies were significantly higher compared to controls. Further studies are needed to determine the exact role of VEGF in the development and progression of the hematological malignancies and therapeutic implications of this finding.