Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA expression in gastric cancer.
AIM: To study VEGF mRNA expression in gastric carcinoma and to clarify the association of its expression with the clinicopathologic features of the disease.METHODS: In situ hybridization (ISH) and histochemistry were used to examine and analyze the expression of VEGF mRNA and antigen, and microvessel count (MVC) in 28 cases of gastric carcinomatous tissue in combination with clinical materials.RESULTS: Ninteen of 28 gastric carcinomas were positive for VEGF mRNA. VEGF mRNA was mainly expressed in malignant cells and not in normal epithelium of gastric mucosa. Its expression was further increased in tumor cells adjacent to tumor necrosis zones, where stromal cells expressed VEGF mRNA occasionally. There was a close correlation between MVC and VEGF mRNA positivity ( P < 0.005). High VEGF mRNA levels were significantly associated with serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging ( P < 0.05, respectively).CONCLUSION: VEGF mRNA expression is associated with tumor invasion and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma
Tao
Hou-Quan
HQ
Lin
Yan-Zhen
YZ
Wang
Rui-Nian
RN