Vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in the blood serum, tumor and renal parenchyma of patients with renal cell carcinoma

Serum, tumor and renal parenchyma levels of VEGF and VEGFR2 were compared in patients with renal carcinoma (RC) with reference to basic clinicomorphological characteristics of the disease. VEGF and VEGFR2 were estimated in 37 RC patients and 57 healthy controls (serum levels only). VEGF and VEGFR2 were detected in all the samples. Their concentrations in the serum were the same in the patients and controls. The tumor tissue contained more VEGF than renal parenchyma. In unfavorable clinicomorphological features the tumor contained higher content of VEGF, higher VEGF/VEGFR2, lower VEGFR2. Thus, angiogenic factors studied closely correlate with clinicomorphological characteristics of renal carcinoma: primary tumor size, stage of the disease, tumor differentiation, tumor pseudocapsule invasion.