Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Soluble Forms of Its Receptors 1 and 2 in Gastric Cancer

Effect of Combining Early Chemotherapy with Zhipu Liujunzi Decoction under the Concept of Strengthening and Consolidating Body Resistance for Gastric Cancer Patients and Nursing Strategy

Objective

To explore the clinical efficacy of combining early chemotherapy with Zhipu Liujunzi decoction under the concept of strengthening and consolidating body resistance for gastric cancer patients and nursing strategy.

Methods

The clinical data of 100 patients undergoing radical gastrectomy in our hospital from July 2019 to July 2020 were selected for the retrospective analysis, and the patients were divided into the control group and experimental group according to different treatment methods, with 50 cases in each group. Early chemotherapy after surgery was given to patients in the control group, and on the basis of the aforesaid treatment and under the concept of strengthening and consolidating body resistance, patients in the experimental group took Zhipu Liujunzi decoction and received the nursing strategy, so as to compare their effective rate, adverse reaction rate (ARR), immune function indicators, KPS scores, and nursing satisfaction scores.

Results

After treatment, the experimental group obtained significantly higher objective remission rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) (P < 0.05), lower carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels (P < 0.001), higher immune parameters levels (P < 0.001), higher KPS scores and lower TCM symptom scores (P < 0.001), lower PSQI scores, SAS scores, and SDS scores (P < 0.001) and higher nursing satisfaction scores (P < 0.001), and lower total accidence rate of toxic side effects (P < 0.05) than the control group.

Conclusion

Under the concept of strengthening and consolidating body resistance, combining early chemotherapy with Zhipu Liujunzi decoction is a reliable method for improving the immune function and quality of life for gastric cancer patients with higher safety. Such a strategy greatly reduces the tumor marker levels in patients. Further research will be conducive to establishing a better solution for gastric cancer patients.

Prognostic significance of VEGF signaling system components and matrix metalloproteinases in blood serum of gastric cancer patients

Analysis of long-term treatment results of 77 primary gastric cancer patients at stage I-IV of the tumor process followed during 1 - 41 months (median - 6.4 months) from the onset of specific treatment are presented depending on the basal levels of VEGF, soluble forms of its receptors (sVEGFR1, sVEGFR2) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, 7, 9) in blood serum. Overall survival assessed by Kaplan-Meyer analysis and with the help of Cox multiparametric regression model was applied as the criterion of prognostic value. It was found that at high (≥ 420 pg/ml) serum VEGF, the overall survival of patients with gastric cancer was statistically significantly lower than at the marker's levels below 420 pg/ml (p<0.011): 3-year's survival comprised 46,3±12,5% and 88,2±7,8% respectively. Median survival of patients with high VEGF level comprised 21.7 months, of those with low VEGF was not achieved during the whole follow-up period. Serum sVEGFR1, sVEGFR2, MMP-2, 7 and 9 levels were not significantly associated with the overall survival of patients included in this study. Only index M of TNM system and serum VEGF level demonstrated an independent prognostic value in multiparametric model (p=0.036). Thus, it was confirmed that VEGF signaling pathway plays an important role in gastric cancer, and its components - in the first place, VEGF A - are substantial factors of disease prognosis, and can also be useful for monitoring of treatment efficiency.