Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor expression is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer patients after curative surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) is an angiogenic factor that undergoes increased expression in colorectal carcinomas, but its prognostic value is a topic of debate. The aim of this study is to clarify the prognostic value of PD-ECGF expression in colorectal carcinomas.


METHODS
PD-ECGF expression was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in frozen materials from 134 colorectal cancer patients who had received curative resections. Patients were divided into high expression and low expression groups based upon selected cut-off value. Correlations among PD-ECGF expression, clinicopathologic features, and disease-free interval were studied by univariate and multivariate analysis. To evaluate the origin of PD-ECGF, serial sections of the 134 tumours were stained for PD-ECGF and CD68.


RESULTS
PD-ECGF expression in the normal mucosa was 34.4+/-15.5 (Units/mg protein) and the cut-off value was 65.4 (mean+2SD). There were no significant correlations between clinicopathological features and PD-ECGF expression. The disease-free interval for the high PD-ECGF expression group was significantly longer than that of the low expression group (P=0.05). A multivariate Cox's regression analysis revealed that high PD-ECGF expression is an independent factor for better outcome. In immunohistochemical study, almost all tumour cells were negative for PD-ECGF, but stromal macrophages were predominantly positive for PD-ECGF.


CONCLUSIONS
The PD-ECGF expression originated from stromal macrophages was a predictor for favorable outcome after curative resections for colorectal cancer.
Tsuji
T
T
Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Sakamoto 1-7-1, 852 8501 Nagasaki, Japan. bannv@bolero.plala.or.jp
Sawai
T
T
Yamashita
H
H
Takeshita
H
H
Nakagoe
T
T
Shindou
H
H
Fukuoka
H
H
Yoshinaga
M
M
Hidaka
S
S
Yasutake
T
T
Nagayasu
T
T
Tagawa
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase