PMID: 18202776Jan 19, 2008Paper

Microvessel density and VEGF/VEGF receptor status and their role in sarcomas of the pulmonary artery

Oncology Reports
A GaumannMoritz A Konerding

Abstract

Neoangiogenesis, driven by a variety of angiogenic factors, plays an essential role during development and progression of malignant tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors have been designated a central part in the angiogenic process during malignancy. We studied the vascular parameters by means of morphology and morphometry in 7 sarcomas of the pulmonary artery (SPA) and 10 poorly differentiated leiomyosarcomas of soft tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis of VEGF and VEGFR was related to survival and prognosis. The microvessel density (MVD) and intervascular distances (IVD) differed significantly only at sites of necrosis compared to non-necrotic areas in SPA but not for soft tissue leiomyosarcomas. MVD, IVD and vascular surface area (VSA) revealed no difference between SPA and leiomyosarcomas of different origin. We found a more pronounced expression of VEGF in most tumors at sites of necrosis. The receptors were present in a subset of tumor vessels mostly at the tumor border. VEGFR-2 expression was also seen in a subset of tumor cells whereas VEGFR-1 showed only weak expression in some tumors. Local hypoxia seems to induce a higher MVD and a lower IVD at sites of necrosis compared to those areas w...Continue Reading

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