Serum VEGFR-3 and survival of advanced gastric cancer patients treated with FOLFOX.

AIM: To explore if vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can predict overall survival in advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: VEGFR-3 level was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and CEA was assessed by chemiluminescence immunoassay in the sera of 81 advanced gastric cancer patients before treatment with oxaliplatin plus 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid. RESULTS: Median survival time in patients with a low serum VEGFR-3 level was significantly longer than in those with a higher VEGFR-3 level (15.4 mo vs 7.7 mo, P < 0.001). Patients with a low CEA level had a longer survival than those with a higher CEA level (15.8 mo vs 8.6 mo, P < 0.001). Thirty-nine patients with low VEGFR-3 and low CEA levels had a median survival of 19.7 mo (P = 0.0006). The hazard ratio for patients with a high VEGFR-3 level was 2.443 (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: High serum VEGFR-3 level is correlated significantly with poor survival. In patients with a high serum level of VEGFR-3, alternative chemotherapy regimens should be considered.