Research and Clinical Medicine (Jul 2018)
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR DOES NOT CORRELATE WITH MICROVESSEL DENSITY IN INVASIVE BLADDER CARCINOMA
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the presence or absence of correlation between the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD), and the potential prognostic value patientsin bladder carcinoma. Methods:VEGF expression and MVD wereassessed on specimens from 50 histological confirmed invasive bladder carcinomas. VEGF expression was estimated as 0 –no positive tumor cells, 1 - less than 10% positive tumor cells, 2 – up to 50% positive tumor cells, and 3 – over 50% positive tumor cells.MVD was calculated on slides stained with CD34 antibody. The arithmetical media were statistically processed with SPSS 17.0,Student test and chi square, and p<0.5 was considered statistically significant. Results:VEGF was positive in 13.33% of the urothelial carcinomas, andnegative in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. In the positive cases the intensity of reaction was weak or moderate in the tumor cells. In the tumor area only the endothelium was positive for CD34, which made it possible to calculate MVD, and to detect vascular invasion. In urothelial invasive carcinoma, the average MVD calculated was 28.6. There was no statistical correlation between MVD, VEGF and tumor prognosis. High values for MVD were correlated with vascular invasion and tumor grading. Conclusions:We found no correlation between VEGF and MVD, or tumor prognosis. MVD is an efficient tool in assessing tumor prognosis. CD34 is a useful marker in detecting vascular invasion, and immature and intermediate blood vessels that could be targets for antivascular therapy