title: A morphometric approach for the evaluation of angiogenesis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood.
abstract: Angiogenesis was estimated in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by the use of a novel morphometric method. This was compared with the widely used one of microvessel density (MVD). Bone marrow biopsies were evaluated by immunostaining with anti-Factor VIII related antigen (FVIIIRAg). Angiogenesis was calculated as volume corrected microvessel density index (VC-MVDI), taking into account the bone marrow cellularity. According to our results both MVD and VC-MVDI were increased at diagnosis of ALL in comparison with the control group. However the VC-MVDI increment was not statistically significant. Therefore, VC-MVDI could be more representative of the true increase of angiogenesis, correlating better with the outcome of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, P.O. Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kalmanti
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dampaki
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stiakaki
authors.forename: Vretos
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chaniotis
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*