Angiogenesis in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.
BACKGROUND
Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth, progression, and metastases. Microvessel density (MVD), a measure of tumor angiogenesis, has been found to have prognostic significance in many tumor types for predicting metastasis and survival.


METHODS
Between 1979-1989, 56 cases of FIGO Clinical Stage I and II adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix treated by hysterectomy were reviewed histologically. All hysterectomy specimens were stained immunohistologically for factor VIII-related antigen. MVD was counted in a x200 field (0.785 mm2 per field) in the most active area of neovascularization. Results were expressed as the highest number of microvessels identified within any single x200 field. MVD and several other prognostic parameters were examined for correlation with progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) by a multivariate analysis according to the Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
In early adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, MVD was increased significantly in invasive areas compared with adjacent nonneoplastic areas (median: 62.5 [range, 30-105] vs. median: 36.5 [range, 23-47]; P=0.0003). MVD also was significantly correlated with ascites cytology (P=0.0377). There was no correlation between microvessel count and lymph node status, depth of invasion, disease stage, lymph-vascular space invasion, grade, or parametrial involvement. Patients with high MVD (> or=75) had significantly worse PFS and OS than those with low MVD (< 75) (log rank test, P=0.0180 and 0.0199, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that MVD correlated significantly and independently with PFS and OS.


CONCLUSIONS
In adenocarcinoma of the cervix, MVD is an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
T
T
Kaku
T
T
Hirakawa
T
T
Kamura
S
S
Amada
N
N
Kinukawa
H
H
Kobayashi
K
K
Sakai
K
K
Ariyoshi
K
K
Sonoda
H
H
Nakano
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality
D005169:Factor VIII