Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor per Platelet Count in Egyptian patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

HCC is a national wellbeing worry in Egypt; with rising incidence in the previous decade. The yearly frequency rate of HCC in Egypt is the is the most elevated in Middle Eastern nations extending from 4.5/100, 000 in females to 21.9/100, 000 in males to according to Population-Based Cancer Registry Data for Middle Eastern Countries (Salim et al., 2009). The weight of HCC has been expanding in Egypt with doubling in the incidence rate in the previous decade (Lehman and Wilson, 2009). Currently, α-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most validated serological marker for HCC. Even though AFP performance in HCC is deficient (Lok et al., 2012). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascular tumor, thus, angiogenesis is considered to be important for its progression (Li et al., 1998). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known, potent angiogenic factor which enhances vascular Permeability, promoting the extravasation of protein to form a Stromal matrix and tumor invasion (Dvorak et al., 1995). VEGF is a soluble glycoprotein that specifically stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and enhances vascular permeability. Several studies have demonstrated that a high serum VEGF level is associated with the disease progression and poor survival in patients with lung carcinoma (Salven et al., 1998). Serum VEGF was reported to predict venous invasion in patients with HCC (Poon et al., 2007). However, controversy still exists as to whether serum or Plasma VEGF will provide the information about tumor angiogenesis and prognosis, because serum VEGF can be influenced by VEGF released from platelets during clotting (Banks et al., 1998). It has been reported that the VEGF content of platelets is Several-fold higher in cancer patients than in healthy subjects (Vermeulen et al., 1999). This case control study includes 60 subjects, the patients were recruited from GIT department, Ain Shams University Hospital between August 2015 and April 2016.and divided into 3 groups: • Group (A):20 healthy controls. • Group (B):20 liver cirrhosis patients. • Group(C):20 patients diagnosed with HCC. Each patient subjected to full history and clinical examination stressing on signs and symptoms of liver cirrhosis and laboratory investigation with ultrasound and triphasic CT.