title: CD34 microvessel density and VEGF expression in basal and squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Angiogenesis is a central process in the growth of solid tumors. The purpose of our study was to analyze the angiogenic pattern in squamous and basal cell carcinomas and to point out differences in microvessel density that could explain their different biological behaviour. Thirty-nine skin tumors (26 basal and 13 squamous cell carcinomas) were analyzed. In all samples, the microvessels density (MVD) and the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA (VEGFmRNA) were analyzed, together with the inter-relationship between these two variables. Using the median value of the entire series (33 vessels per 2.22 mm2), tumors with low and high MVD were identified. The majority of cancers with high vascularization belonged to the squamous histotype (12 of 39), while 19 of the 26 basal cell carcinomas showed a lower number of microvessels than the median value (p = 0.0001). The median value of VEGFcDNA quantitation allowed us to distinguish tumors with high VEGF expression (> 470 molecules cDNA) from those with low (< or = 470 molecules) VEGF expression: 20 of the 26 basal cell carcinomas showed low VEGF expression, while 11 of the 13 squamous cell carcinomas showed high VEGFcDNA levels (p = 0.0003). Moreover, a significant association between a high microvessel density and high VEGFmRNA levels (p = 0.006) was found. Furthermore, when studying VEGF expression by immunohistochemistry, we obtained similar results and noted a correlation with VEGFmRNA expression (p < 0.0001). The association between high vascularization, high VEGF levels, and squamous cell histotype suggests the possible role of neoangiogenesis in determining the more aggressive biological behaviour of this type of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loggini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boldrini
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gisfredi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ursino
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Camacci
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Jeso
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cervadoro
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pingitore
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barachini
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leocata
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontanini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A