Quantification of vascular density and of lumen and vessel morphology in endometrial carcinoma. Evaluation of their relation to serum levels of tissue polypeptide-specific antigen and CA-125.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether differences in tumor vessel architecture influence the entry of tumor-associated antigens into the circulation.


METHODS
Using an image analysis system, nine vascular parameters in samples of endometrial carcinomas stained for factor VIII-related antigen were evaluated. These were related to groups with, respectively, normal and elevated serum values for two different serum tumor markers: one with low tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPS) and one with high molecular weight (CA-125).


RESULTS
Lumen area, lumen perimeter and maximum lumen diameter appeared to differentiate between the normal and elevated TPS group; the higher lumen values occurred in the latter (Mann and Whitney U test: P = .021, .013 and .014, respectively). For CA-125 a higher number of vessels per square millimeter after correction for the epithelium-stroma ratio was found to differentiate between the normal and elevated group (P = .011). The other parameters did not show differentiation between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Distension of vessels appears to be related to the TPS serum level; that might be explained by the presence of endothelial gaps, permitting passive passage of the small TPS molecules. Vascular density appears to be related to the CA-125 serum level. However, whether this relation is real remains to be determined.
Willemse
F
F
Department of Pathology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Nap
M
M
de Bruijn
H W
HW
Hollema
H
H
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D010455:Peptides; C089984:tissue polypeptide specific antigen