Effects of Treatment on Angiogenic (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-2 and Matrix Metalloproteinase-2) and Antiangiogenic (Endostatin and Thrombospondin-1) Factors in Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Carcinoma

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate possible effects of treatment on angiogenic [vascular endothelial growth factor-2 (VEGF-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)] and antiangiogenic [endostatin (ES) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1)] factors in non-muscle invasive bladder carcinoma (NMIBC). Materials and Methods: Thirty NMIBC patients and 30 age-matched controls were included in the study. For the above-mentioned markers, peripheral blood samples were drawn at three time points to be studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: before transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), at first control (20 days after the operation) and second control (at the end of intravesical immunotherapy). The mean blood levels obtained in the three measurements and those in patients and controls were compared statistically. Results: The mean levels of VEGF-2 and MMP-2 in patients before TURBT were found to be statistically significantly higher than in controls (p=0.04 and p=0.01, respectively), while no significant differences were obtained between the mean ES and TSP-1 levels (p=0.95 and p=0.99, respectively). It was also found that the VEGF-2 and MMP-2 levels were significantly decreased after TURBT (p=0.03 and p=0.01, respectively), but the tendency of these decrease was not found to be statistically significant between the first and second controls. Conclusion: Elevated VEGF-2 and MMP-2 levels in patients with NMIBC were significantly decreased after and probably due to the TURBT, which leads to a conclusion that these angiogenic markers may be used for follow-up of NMIBC.

Keywords

• Vascular endothelial growth factor-2
• matrix metalloproteinase-2
• endostatin
• thrombospondin-1
• non-muscle invasive bladder cancer