ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the relationship between the expressions of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP-9) before and after chemoradiotherapy and biological behaviors for patients with esophageal cancer. Methods The data of 65 cases with esophageal cancer were analyzed respectively, including 44 cases of primary esophageal cancer and 21 cases of postoperative esophageal cancer. Serum VEGF and MMP-9 before and after chemoradiotherapy were measured, and their relationship with clinicopathological features of esophageal cancer patients was also investigated. Results Serum VEGF level in primary patients [613.50 ng/ml (387.00 - 1127.00 ng/ml)] was significant higher than that in postoperative patients [78.00 ng/ml (40.00 - 196.50 ng/ml)] (Z= -3.493, P= 0.000). There was no difference in serum MMP-9 level with or without surgery, and serum MMP-9 level in primary patients [686.00 ng/ml (434.00 - 1211.25 ng/ml)] has no difference in postoperative patients [637.00 ng/ml (362.00-906.50 ng/ml)] (Z=-0.743, P=0.457). There was no significant correlation in serum VEGF, MMP-9 level with gender, age, tumor pathological type and tumor location in postoperative and primary patients (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in serum VEGF, MMP-9 level before or after chemoradiotherapy in postoperative patients (P=0.339, P=0.689), but there was a difference in primary patients (P= 0.000, P= 0.001). The changes of serum VEGF, MMP-9 levels were synergistic (r= 0.451, P<0.001). Conclusion The dynamic monitoring and comparison of serum VEGF, MMP-9 levels can predict the efficacy of esophageal cancer and guide the individualized therapy.