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High VEGF expression in bladder cancer

VEGF in bladder tumors¹

VEGF protein levels in normal bladder and various bladder tumors. Tumor samples of primary superficial transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder were procured from 94 patients who underwent transurethral bladder cancer resection. The study also included 29 control specimens of macroscopically normal bladder.¹

Crew et al studied the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels and bladder cancer at different stages. Results showed that superficial bladder tumors had a higher median level of VEGF (910 pg VEGF/mg protein; range 40–4986) compared with normal bladders (60 pg VEGF/mg protein; range 0–400), [P<0.001] though there was no difference between stages.¹

Reprinted with permission from Crew JP, O'Brien T, Bradburn M, et al. Cancer Res. 1997;57:5281-5285. Figure 3.

Significance of VEGF mRNA expression as a prognosticator in bladder cancer

In this study of VEGF as a predictor of superficial bladder cancer, high expression of VEGF (>10 units) in bladder tumors was associated with earlier recurrence and stage progression. Crew et al observed that VEGF mRNA correlated closely with protein levels in both T₁ tumors and normal bladders. However, the VEGF protein-to-mRNA ratio was 4-fold greater in superficial tumors compared with normal bladder tumors, which suggests posttranscriptional regulation of VEGF in some tumors.¹

The relationship between high VEGF expression and superficial bladder cancer was also established in another study by Shariat et al. In this study, 86% of the 204 patients treated for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder also exhibited altered VEGF expression.²

References:

1.

Crew JP, O'Brien T, Bradburn M, et al. Cancer Res. 1997;57:5281-5285.

2.

Shariat SF, Youssef RF, Gupta A, et al. J Urol. 2010;183:1744-1750.