The Importance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as a Marker of Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer death both in men and women. In spite of progress seen in the early diagnosis of lung cancer, and implementation of new treatment principles for these patients, 5 year survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing surgery is low. Introduction of anti-angiogenic therapy administered concomitantly with conventional chemotherapy agents represented practically the first success seen in the treatment of lung cancer in the last 20 years. The aim of this paper is to review the literature informations about the importance of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) as a marker of angiogenesis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, we practiced a literature review about these topics: the importance of VEGF in tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and his importance as a prognostic factor at these patients, the prognostic impact of serum levels of VEGF and of the cellular expression of VEGF at these patients and also we reviewed the value of the antiangiogenic therapy.