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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Lab Physicians 2019; 11(01): 051-057
DOI: 10.4103/JLP.JLP_41_18
Original Article

Correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 levels in serum and thyroid nodules with histopathological and radiological variables

Gurkan Haytaoglu
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Fatih Kuzu
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital, Dumlupinar University, Kütahya, Turkey
,
Dilek Arpaci
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Ayfer Altas
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Murat Can
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Figen Barut
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Furuzan Kokturk
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Sevil Uygun Ilikhan
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
,
Taner Bayraktaroglu
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital, Dumlupinar University, Kütahya, Turkey
› Author Affiliations Financial support and sponsorship: Nil
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Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIM: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major cytokine in angiogenesis and has a role on aggressivity of various tumors. The expression of VEGF has been shown to increase in differential thyroid cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum and intranodular VEGF (nVEGF) and VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) levels in patients with thyroid nodules and their relevance to ultrasonographic and pathological results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of eighty patients were included in the study. Thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed, and the levels of serum and nVEGF and VEGFR-1 were measured. Any possible correlations between serum and nVEGF, VEGFR-1, and biochemical/radiological variables were investigated.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences between serum VEGF (sVEGF), nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, nVEGFR-1 levels, number of nodules, size of nodules, and benign and malignant ultrasonographic features. sVEGF and nVEGF were higher in malignant or suspicious nodules than that in benign nodules, but did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). sVEGFR-1 and nVEGFR-1 levels were higher in hyperthyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P < 0.05 and P = 0.003, respectively). nVEGFR-1 level was higher in hypothyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P = 0.016). sVEGF level was found to be higher in hyperactive nodules than that in others. Both sVEGFR-1 (P = 0.008) and nVEGF levels (P = 0.01) significantly increased with increasing age. nVEGFR-1 decreased with increasing body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the relationships of sVEGF, nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, and nVEGFR-1 levels with age, gender, BMI, and hyperthyroidism. To determine the role of VEGF/VEGFR-1 in thyroid nodules, further studies are required with a large number of patients.

Key words

Malignancy - nodule - thyroid


Publication History

Received: 26 March 2018

Accepted: 22 November 2018

Article published online:
06 April 2020

© 2019.

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