Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix and its relation to angiogenesis and p53 and c-erbB-2 protein expression.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix and its correlation with clinicopathologic features, angiogenesis, and expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins.


METHODS
Thirty-seven cases of FIGO clinical stage I and II adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix were examined by immunohistochemical studies with anti-VEGF, anti-CD34, anti-p53, and anti-c-erbB-2 antibodies. Computerized image analysis was used to evaluate microvessel density (MVD).


RESULTS
Thirty-one tumors (83.8%) were classified as VEGF positive. Six tumors (16.2%) showed p53 protein expression while 11 tumors (29.7%) expressed the c-erbB-2 protein. MVD ranged from 13.3 to 44.8, with a median value of 25.5 (26.9 +/- 7.5). Tumors expressing VEGF had a significantly higher MVD than those that did not express VEGF (P < 0.05). VEGF expression was significantly associated with c-erbB-2 protein expression (P < 0.05). The spatial distributions of both VEGF expression and c-erbB-2 expression were similar in tumor tissues. In univariate log-rank analysis, stage (P = 0.0250), lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.0156), and MVD (P = 0.0360) were associated with shortened survival.


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF expression plays a role in promoting angiogenesis in cervical adenocarcinomas and c-erbB-2 is likely to be involved in the up-regulation of VEGF expression.
Lee
Ji Shin
JS
Department of Pathology, Seonam University, Namwon, Korea. jshinlee@hanmail.net
Kim
Hyung Seok
HS
Jung
Jong Jae
JJ
Lee
Min Cheol
MC
Park
Chang Soo
CS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors