Immunohistochemical demonstration of vascular endothelial growth factor in vestibular schwannomas correlates to tumor growth rate.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent mediators of angiogenesis, which is a mandatory process during tumor growth. The present objectives were to determine expression of VEGF in vestibular schwannomas by immunohistochemistry and to examine a possible correlation with symptom duration, tumor size, or growth rate.


METHODS
Retrospective patient file review; immunohistochemistry and light microscopy of vestibular schwannomas removed by surgery.


METHODS
Vestibular schwannomas from 18 patients were immunolabelled using a polyclonal antibody against VEGF, followed by light microscopy and blinded semiquantitation of VEGF expression. Fifteen patients had a well-defined tumor growth rate defined by repeated preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans.


RESULTS
All tumors showed expression of VEGF in the Schwann cell cytoplasm, with a more intense staining of the perinuclear region of some cells. The staining intensity varied from tumor to tumor, and semiquantitation revealed a significant correlation between VEGF expression and tumor growth rate, but not symptom duration or tumor size.


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF is expressed in vestibular schwannomas and the level of expression correlates positively with tumor growth rate, but not with tumor size and symptom duration. We conclude that VEGF seems to be a factor involved in the growth of vestibular schwannomas.
Cayé-Thomasen
Per
P
Department of Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Gentofte University Hospital of Copenhagen, DK-2900 Hellerup, Denmark. pcaye@dadlnet.dk
Baandrup
Lone
L
Jacobsen
Grete Krag
GK
Thomsen
Jens
J
Stangerup
Sven-Eric
SE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A