The Relationship Between Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in T Cell Subsets and Survival of Patients With Colorectal Cancer

Background/Aim: Angiogenesis and immune modulation are integral to colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) is expressed not only on endothelial cells but also on lymphocytes, where it may modulates immune activity. However, its distribution on peripheral T-cell subsets and prognostic relevance in CRC remain poorly understood. Materials and Methods: We prospectively analyzed 52 histologically confirmed patients with CRC and 30 healthy controls. VEGFR2 expression on T-cell subsets [Th1, Th2, Th17, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs)] was quantified using flow cytometry. Associations between VEGFR expression and overall survival (OS) were examined using median fluorescence intensity (MFI) and percentage values. Results: =0.031, respectively), indicating that VEGFR over-expression within these subsets may be associated with favorable prognosis. Conclusion: VEGFR expression on peripheral T-cell subsets correlates with survival in CRC, suggesting its potential role as a prognostic and immunoregulatory biomarker.