title: Expression of VEGF and its receptors and angiogenesis in bone and soft tissue tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor angiogenesis and vascularization are essential requirements for the growth and metastasis of tumors. There is evidence that overexpression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is correlated with an adverse prognosis in some tumors. The expression of VEGF, its receptors and microvessel density (MVD) of bone and soft tissue tumors was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue specimens of 60 patients including 30 malignant and 30 benign tumors confirmed by biopsy were examined. Expression of VEGF and its receptors (flt-1 and KDR/flk-1) was observed by immunohistochemistry. Tumor angiogenesis was assessed morphologically by measuring intratumoral MVD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semi-quantitative evaluation of immunoreactivity showed that VEGF was significantly higher in malignant tumors than in benign tumors. A correlation was found between the immunoreactivity of VEGF and KDR. Moreover, correlations were found either between MVD and VEGF or between MVD and KDR/flk-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Signal transduction, in particular by VEGF and KDR, potentially contributes to the angiogenesis of bone and soft tissue tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oaopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akisue
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imabori
authors.forename: Teruya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doita
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor