VEGF-A165b levels are reduced in breast cancer patients at primary diagnosis but increase after completion of cancer treatment

Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 27;10(1):3635. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-59823-5.

Abstract

The antiangiogenic splice variant VEGF-A165b is downregulated in a variety of cancer entities, but little is known so far about circulating plasma levels. The present analysis addresses this question and examines circulating VEGF-A/VEGF-A165b levels in a collective of female high-risk breast cancer patients over the course of treatment. Within the SUCCES-A trial 205 patients were recruited after having received primary breast surgery. Using ELISA VEGF-A/VEGF-A165b concentrations were determined and correlated to clinical characteristics (1) before adjuvant chemotherapy, (2) four weeks and (3) two years after therapy and compared to healthy controls (n = 107). VEGF165b levels were significantly elevated after completion of chemotherapy. Within the breast cancer cohort, VEGF-A165b levels increased two years after completion of chemotherapy. VEGF-A plasma concentrations were significantly elevated in the breast cancer cohort at all examined time points and decreased after treatment. VEGF-A levels two years after chemotherapy correlated with increased cancer related mortality, no such correlation could be found between VEGF-A165b and the examined clinical characteristics. Compared to controls, VEGF-A/VEGF-A165b ratios were decreased in patients before and after chemotherapy. Our data suggests that circulating VEGF-A165b is significantly reduced in women with primary breast cancer at time of diagnosis; furthermore, levels change during adjuvant treatment.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / blood*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / blood*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A