Effect of thalidomide combined with TP chemotherapy on serum VEGF and NRP-1 levels advanced esophageal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the effect of thalidomide combined with pacilitaxel plus cisplatin (TP) chemotherapy on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) levels in advanced esophageal cancer patients. METHOD A total of 133 patients with advanced esophageal cancer receiving treatment in Danzhou People's Hospital from February 2017 to July 2019 were recruited and divided into a control group (CG, n = 53) and a study group (SG, n = 80) randomly. Patients in the CG (53 cases) were treated with TP chemotherapy, and patients in the SG (80 cases) were treated with thalidomide on the basis above. The general data of the two groups of patients was observed, as well as the therapeutic effect, chemotherapy-related toxicity, and quality of life. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) levels were tested before and after treatment. RESULTS There was no difference in general data between the two groups (P>0.05), and the occurrence of nausea and vomiting in SG was significantly lower than those in CG (P<0.05). The therapeutic effect was better in SG than CG (P<0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score improvement rate, appetite increase rate and body weight increase rate in SG were better than those in CG (P<0.05). After treatment, compared with CG, SG had lower serum VEGF and NRP-1 levels (P<0.05) and better quality of life (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Thalidomide combined with TP chemotherapy is safe and effective in treating advanced esophageal cancer patients, which reduces patients' serumlevels of VEGF and NRP-1.