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• VEGF as a predictive factor

VEGF as a predictive factor in breast cancer

Response to systemic therapy based on VEGF status²

Foekens et al showed that VEGF levels in patients with advanced breast cancer correlated with response to systemic therapy (tamoxifen or chemotherapy). In both cases, the risk of progression was increased in patients whose tumors expressed high levels of VEGF.²

Reprinted with permission of the American Association for Cancer Research. Foekens JA, Peters HA, Grebenchtchikov N, et al. Cancer Res. 2001;61:5407-5414.

In addition to the evidence for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a prognostic factor in breast cancer, the possibility that VEGF predicts response to certain types of therapy has also been explored. Foekens and colleagues demonstrated a relationship between increased VEGF expression and poor response to conventional systemic therapy, specifically tamoxifen or chemotherapy. In their study of 618 patients with advanced breast cancer who received these treatments, intermediate and high VEGF levels were associated with shorter progression-free and postrelapse survival.²

Additionally, results from preclinical studies support the clinical findings of Foekens et al. For example, data from tumor cell lines from Liang and colleagues suggest that VEGF may contribute to the development of hormone therapy resistance and tumor progression.²⁵ In fact, in some cases antihormones themselves have been shown to induce VEGF expression, as demonstrated in tumor cell lines.²⁶

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