[Expression of KDR in medulloblastoma and its clinical implication].
OBJECTIVE
To gain an insight into the possible relationship between the expression of kinase insert domain-containning receptor (KDR) and the prognosis of medulloblastoma.


METHODS
Fifty cases of medulloblastoma of the posterior fossa and ten cases of normal cerebellar tissue were studied via a combination of immunnohistochemical staining in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded sections.


RESULTS
KDR was expressed weakly in 1 of 10 normal cerebellar tissues, while KDR was either moderately or strongly expressed in most of the medulloblastomas (49 of 50 cases). Moreover, KDR was expressed not only in the endothelial cells of tumor vasculature, but also in tumor cells. Correlation analysis indicated that expression of KDR was correlated significantly with survival time (r = -0.527, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
KDR was expressed in most of the medulloblastomas, not only in the endothelial cells of tumor vasculature, but also in tumor cells. The expression level of KDR had a negative correlation with the survival time, thus it might be used as one of the prognosticators of medulloblastoma.
Cheng
H
H
Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital, WCUMS, Chengdu 610041, China.
Mao
B
B
Zhang
S
S
Cheng
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2