The role of angiogenic biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancer

Abstract

Background: Angiogenesis is a key issue in the carcinogenesis progression. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancer is a multi-stage disease, multifaceted, concerning convention of different signaling cascades. Abnormal angiogenesis have been related to pathogenesis of tumor. Objectives: We hypothesized inter-relationships between indices of angiogenesis biomarkers across the spectrum of GIT cancer and its relation to the pathogenesis and prognosis of the diseases. We also evaluated the consequence of estimating these indices in untimely tumor recognition. Methods: Forty patients were studied and divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=30) with GIT cancer and group 2 (n=10) with benign lesion. The cancer group subdivided into patients with gastric cancer (n= 12) and patients with colorectal cancer (n=18). 20 healthy controls (C) were involved in the study. Serum levels of all biochemical indices were estimated. Results: Significantly high serum levels of studied angiogenic biomarkers were detected in patients with GIT cancer compared to C and benign group (p<0.000l and p<0.001 for each respectively). Their levels being significantly higher in late stage of the disease versus early stage and in patients with high tumor burden versus patients with low tumor burden with the exception of Cathpsin-B and HA that showing no significant difference. Positive Significant correlations was present between all indices in cancer groups (p<0.001). Also, there was significant positive correlations between these biomarkers and stage of the tumor (p<0.01). Conclusions: There was a gradation in angiogenesis biomarkers in patients with GIT cancer which related to stage and size of the tumors. This may reflect the relative roles of these biomarkers in the biology of GIT cancer. Their estimation may have implications for our understanding of the pathphysiology of tumor, play a novel beneficial roles in early tumor detection and targeted tumor therapy by using antangiogenic therapy