Clinical Significance of Serial Determination of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Concentrations in Patients with Endometriosis

Objective:To investigate the serial changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in patients with endometriosis and its significance in the evaluation of treatment efficacy and prognosis for these patients. Methods:Serum VEGF concentrations in 35 healthy women (normal group) and 65 patients with endometriosis (stage I～II 26 cases and stage III～Ⅳ 39 cases) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) before and after surgery. Results: The level of VEGF in endometriosis group before surgery was 250.70±88.84 ng /L, which was significantly higher than in the control group (103.20±49.18 ng/L) (P0.01). VEGF level of endometriosis stages III～Ⅳ (305.02±69.74 ng/L) was significantly higher than that of stage I～II (169.21±36.12 ng/L) (P0.01).The level of VEGF in endometriosis group before surgery (250.70±88.84 ng/L) was significantly higher than that in one week after surgery (154.38±49.52 ng /L) (P0.05). Of 35 follow-up patients,29 patients had no recurrence and VEGF level appeared dowmtread. But VEGF level in 6 patients with recurrence in the follow-up period re-elevated. Conclusions:These results suggest that VEGF concentration related closely with progression and malignant behavior of endometriosis, and serial determination of serum VEGF may be an important index for evaluation of efficacy, recurrence and prognosis for patients with endometriosis.