We considered 146 consecutive patients with RCC and 110 healthy volunteers. Serum samples from all subjects were analysed for endostatin and VEGF by using competitive enzyme immunoassays. RCC samples were compared with serum from the control group and with clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcome.

Mean age was 63 years (range: 37–85 years) in RCC patients and 62 years (range: 23–88 years) in the control group. VEGF levels (median: 3.6ng/ml±6.97; range: 0–48.4ng/mL) were significantly higher in RCC patients, compared with controls (p=0.001). Endostatin levels did not differ significantly between the two groups (p=0.9) without correlation between endostatin and VEGF levels (p=0.09). No significant difference was found in the endostatin levels among the histologic subtypes (p=0.973) and VEGF (p=0.232). The median follow-up was 27 months (range: 1–57 months).

Serum VEGF levels are elevated in RCC patients, compared with controls, and do not correlate significantly with circulating endostatin levels. No difference in preoperative serum VEGF and endostatin levels among the different histologic subtypes was found. In multivariate analysis VEGF and endostatin failed to be prognostic; only tumour stage and grade remained independent predictors of survival.

Luigi Schips, Orietta Dalpiaz, Katja Lipsky, Cord Langner, Peter Rehak, Peter Puerstner, Karl Pummer, Richard Zigeuner

Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
Institute of Pathology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
Institute of Biostatistics, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria

Accepted 15 June 2006 published online 7 July 2006.