Serum VEGF-A and tumor vessel VEGFR-2 levels predict survival in Caucasian but not Asian patients undergoing resection for gastric adenocarcinoma Journal Article


Authors: Park, D. J.; Seo, A. N.; Yoon, C.; Ku, G. Y.; Coit, D. G.; Strong, V. E.; Suh, Y. S.; Lee, H. S.; Yang, H. K.; Kim, H. H.; Yoon, S. S.
Article Title: Serum VEGF-A and tumor vessel VEGFR-2 levels predict survival in Caucasian but not Asian patients undergoing resection for gastric adenocarcinoma
Abstract: Background: Clinical trials of agents targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) pathway in gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) suggest that these therapies may have varying efficacy in different races. Methods: VEGF-A in serum and/or VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) in CD31-positive tumor vessels (VEGFR-2/CD31) were measured in 118 Caucasians and 263 Asians who underwent gastric resection at two institutions and correlated with overall survival (OS). Blood was drawn before any treatment. Patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment were excluded from VEGFR-2 analysis. Results: Compared with Asians, Caucasians were older (mean age 66–73 vs 59–62 years), had more proximal tumors, and had more advanced TNM stage. In the VEGF-A cohort, Caucasians had a median VEGF-A level that was 95 % higher than that of Asians and a much higher standard deviation (88 ± 6.206 vs 45 ± 76 pg/ml, p < 0.001). The 5-year OS for patients with low versus high VEGF-A levels was 72 versus 43 % in Caucasians (p = 0.001) and 86 versus 77 % in Asians (p = 0.236). In the VEGFR-2 cohort, OS was worse in Caucasians with high VEGFR-2/CD31 levels (49 vs 73 %, p = 0.038), while there was no significant difference in OS in Asians (80 vs 90 %, p = 0.119). On multivariate analyses of significant prognostic factors (excluding treatment factors and margin status), serum VEGF-A and tumor VEGFR-2/CD31 levels were independent predictors of OS only in Caucasians. Conclusions: In patients with resectable GA, VEGF-A and VEGFR-2/CD31 levels are independent predictors of OS in Caucasians but not in Asians, suggesting varying importance of this pathway in GA progression among different races. © 2015, Society of Surgical Oncology.
Keywords: adult; cancer chemotherapy; cancer survival; controlled study; aged; middle aged; cancer surgery; major clinical study; multimodality cancer therapy; adjuvant therapy; cancer radiotherapy; cancer staging; follow up; antineoplastic agent; vasculotropin receptor 2; prediction; vasculotropin a; gastrectomy; stomach adenocarcinoma; caucasian; cd31 antigen; asian; adjuvant chemoradiotherapy; human; male; female; article
Journal Title: Annals of Surgical Oncology
Volume: 22
Issue: Suppl. 3
ISSN: 1068-9265
Publisher: Springer  
Date Published: 2015-12-01
Start Page: 1508
End Page: 1515
Language: English
DOI: 10.1245/s10434-015-4790-y
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 26259755
PMCID: PMC4872865
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 3 February 2016 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Sam Yoon
    108 Yoon
  2. Geoffrey Yuyat Ku
    230 Ku
  3. Vivian Strong
    264 Strong
  4. Daniel Coit
    542 Coit
  5. Do Joong Park
    16 Park
  6. Changhwan Yoon
    41 Yoon