Evaluation of prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor and endocan in non-small cell lung cancer

Background/aim: No reliable, easily measurable biomarker currently exists for the screening or prognosis of lung cancer. The present study evaluates the potential utility of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endocan, which can be readily measured in blood samples, as biomarkers for screening and prognostic assessment in lung cancer. Materials and methods: Included in the study were 38 patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 29 controls. All patients underwent surgical intervention and were monitored for 1 month postoperatively. Serum VEGF and endocan levels were measured preoperatively and postoperatively. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and histopathological findings were recorded for all participants. Results: The preoperative VEGF levels of the patients were significantly higher than those of the controls (p = 0.001), while postoperative VEGF levels decreased significantly following surgery (p < 0.001). The endocan levels of the patients and controls were similar preoperatively. Additionally, endocan levels were significantly increased after the surgery in the patient group (p < 0.001). A comparison of VEGF and endocan levels according to TNM staging and tumor histopathology revealed no significant differences. Conclusion: VEGF can serve as a potential biomarker for screening and prognostic assessment in early-stage NSCLC. In contrast, endocan did not demonstrate utility for such clinical purposes. VEGF may also be considered for the evaluation of treatment efficacy following surgical intervention.