Comparison of serum endocan and VEGF levels before and after resection in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most widely diagnosed cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer deaths. Angiogenesis, which means the growth of new blood vessels from existing vessels, is critical in tumor development, progression and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the main mediator of angiogenesis, and it has been shown that increased serum levels in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are associated with poor prognosis. Additionally, studies demonstrate that endocan, a soluble proteoglycan specific to endothelial cells, can be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of some cancers. A total of 67 patients (38 lung cancer and 29 benign patients) were included in our study. The preoperative median serum VEGF values in the patient group was 92.38 pg/dl, and it was significantly higher than the control group (57.14 pg/dl) (p = 0.001). Serum VEGF levels were found to decrease on the 1st, 7th and 30th days after surgery in the NSCLC group (p <0.001). The pre-operative median serum endocan value in the patient group was 379.82 pg/dl, and there was no significant difference compared to the control group (562.68 pg/dl) (p = 0.160). Serum endocan values measured on the 1st, 7th and 30th days after surgery were found to increase significantly (p <0.001). In the literature, there is no study demonstrating serum endocan and VEGF levels before and after resection in early stage NSCLC. We think that serum VEGF levels can be used as a biomarker for lung cancer screening and follow-up. In terms of serum endocan levels, which were similar between patients and controls, it appears that there is not enough evidence to suggest use as a marker of screening or follow-up in patients with lung cancer.