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Meta-Analysis
. 2013 Jul;139(7):1157-67.
doi: 10.1007/s00432-013-1425-1. Epub 2013 Apr 4.

High circulating VEGF level predicts poor overall survival in lung cancer

Pingping Hu  1 , Weidong Liu, Liguang Wang, Miaomiao Yang, Jiajun Du
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

High circulating VEGF level predicts poor overall survival in lung cancer

Pingping Hu et al. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2013 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered as the best-validated key regulator of angiogenesis, while the prognostic role of circulating VEGF in lung cancer remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of circulating VEGF.

Methods: Nineteen studies with a total number of 2,890 patients were analyzed in our meta-analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to quantify the predictive ability of circulating VEGF on survival.

Results: The pooled HR of all 17 studies evaluating overall survival (OS) was 1.29 (95 % CI 1.19-1.40, p < 0.001), indicating high circulating VEGF predicted poor OS. When grouped by disease stages, the pooled HRs were 0.97 (95 % CI 0.47-1.47, p < 0.001) for operable stage and 1.34 (95 % CI 1.18-1.49, p < 0.001) for inoperable stage. The pooled HRs were 1.28 (95 % CI 1.15-1.42, p < 0.001) for serum and 1.31 (95 % CI 1.13-1.49, p < 0.001) for plasma, when categorized by blood sample. Meta-analysis of circulating VEGF related to progression-free survival (PFS) was performed in 7 studies, and the pooled HR was 1.03 (95 % CI 0.96-1.09).

Conclusions: Our results indicate that high level of circulating VEGF predicts poor OS in lung cancer, yet it does not predict poor PFS.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the meta-analysis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a Forrest plot to assess the overall effect of circulating VEGF on OS. b Forrest plot to assess the overall effect of circulating VEGF on PFS
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forrest plots of sub-groups. HRs of operable stage and inoperable stage are reported as (a). HRs of serum and plasma are reported as (b)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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