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VEGF-C serum level is associated with response to bevacizumab maintenance therapy in primary ovarian cancer patients
- Source :
- PloS one. 17(6)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objective At present, maintenance therapy with the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab or with PARP-inhibitors represent two options for BRCA-wildtype ovarian cancer patients, after platinum-based first line chemotherapy. The identification of molecular markers to predict patient response to different maintenance therapies remains a major challenge. In the present study we analyzed the predictive potential of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) to identify ovarian cancer patients that might benefit from an antiangiogenic therapy. Methods 101 patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer were analyzed for serum levels of VEGF-A,–C and CA-125 by ELISA. Serum levels were compared between patients with low pT-stage (pT1a-pT2c n = 11), healthy individuals (n = 27) and patients with higher pT-stage (> = pT3 n = 90). Adjusted ROC curves and an adjusted logistic regression model were carried out to evaluate the potential impact of VEGF-A and -C, as well as CA-125 serum level concentration on bevacizumab-therapy response, under consideration of covariates such as FIGO, pM, pN and residual tumor after surgery. Results A patient which has in comparison twice the VEGF-C concentration in serum, has a significant increased chance of response to bevacizumab by a factor of 2.79. Further, only VEGF-C serum levels were significantly higher in the group of patients with lower pT-stage compared to healthy individuals, whereas VEGF-A or CA-125 serum levels could not discriminate between healthy individuals and patients with ovarian cancer at low pT-stages. Conclusion VEGF-C serum level might serve as as a biomarker to evaluate treatment response under bevacizumab.
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 17
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....8faa38a5535a007dc8dfbd189537bfd4