[Relationships of serum selenium, VEGF and sFas levels in leukemia patients]

In order to investigate the relationships of cancer chemopreventive trace element-selenium, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble Fas (sFas) in leukemia patients, serum selenium concentration was measured by atomic spectrometry and levels of VEGF and sFas were simultaneously detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Relationships of selenium, VEGF and sFas were analyzed by linear correlation. The results showed that serum selenium concentration in newly-diagnosed patients and relapsed patients was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05), especially in relapsed group. VEGF and sFas concentrations of refractory/relapsed group were significantly higher than those in the control group and the remission group (p < 0.05). But no significant difference was found between the remission group and the control group (p > 0.05). In leukemia patients, negative correlation was observed between selenium and VEGF (r = -0.529, p < 0.01), so did between selenium and sFas (r = -0.432, p < 0.01). Positive correlation was found between VEGF and sFas (r = 0.663, p < 0.01). It is concluded that the selenium, VEGF and sFas may take part in the occurrence of MDR in leukemia patients. Selenium has negative correlation with VEGF and sFas, which means that it may be used as an effective assistant agent to improve therapeutic effect of chemotherapy. However, further study in more cases is needed to reach a definite conclusion.