ABSTRACT
Twenty-seven patients with an age range of 36-71 years were included in this study. They were subjected to thorough clinical, radiological and biochemical assessment as well as serological testing for HCV, HBV and serum alpha fetoprotein [AFP] level. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] levels were measured by an enzymeournallinked immunosorbent assay kit. Samples from 15 healthy adults were obtained as controls for the assessment of serum VEGF levels. An immunohistochemical staining was done to study the tumor VEGF expression in the resected specimens. A histologic grade of tumor differentiation was also performed. Prognostic information was obtained by a close follow up every 2-3 months. The study demonstrated that serum VEGF level in HCC patients appears to reflect the disease potential activity for an aggressive behavior and can be used as a predictor of tumor recurrence