Serum vascular endothelial growth factor load and interleukin-6 in cancer patients

Sir In a recent study published in the British Journal of Cancer , Salgado and colleagues demonstrated a correlation between s IL-6 levels, serum VEGF levels and platelet count in patients w advanced cancer. Patients with a thrombocytosis had me VEGF serum concentrations × 3.2, and median IL-6 serum level × 5.8, higher than other patients. Growth factors and cytoki such as IL-6 may affect both platelet number and functi including the capacity of platelets to store angiogenic factors s as VEGF. This is supported by the observation that IL-6 lev were also found to correlate with the VEGF load per plate (VEGFPLT) (Salgado et al, 1999). We have recently demonstrated a close correlation betw platelet counts and serum VEGF levels in patients with renal cancer (RCC). Platelet counts and VEGF levels ≥ the median for the group indicated a poor outcome (O’Byrne et al, 1999). In re to our report Gunsillius and colleagues recommended we calcu the VEGFPLT in the patients in our study and assess its impac outcome (Gunsilius et al, 1999). The mean VEGF PLT value for the whole group was 1.29 pg/10 6 platelets (range 0.13–4.06). This similar to that found by Salgado and colleagues where the m value was 1.37 pg/10 6 (range 0.16–3.64).