Tara Sanft on Altering VEGF Levels

Tara Sanft, MD, Yale Cancer Center, discusses decreasing VEGF levels through exercise and diet to prevent breast cancer recurrence.

VEGF is known to play a role in breast cancer tumor formation, as well as other conditions, such as diabetes. So, Sanft wanted to test if it was possible to decrease VEGF levels and found that those who had diet and exercise interventions were able to decrease their amount of VEGF. Since this change was not seen in patients who only changed their exercise habits, not their diet, did not experience reductions in VEGF. Sanft said this finding suggests that a lifestyle intervention with a weight loss component is the mediating factor for changing VEGF levels.