title: [Angiogenic factors and their relation to stage, lymph-node micrometastases and prognosis in patients operated on for gastric cancer].
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of a number of angiogenic factors such as VEGF, VEGF-C, TGF-alpha and apoptosis in an attempt to relate these biological markers to TNM staging, lymph-node status and prognosis. Angiogenic factors and apoptosis were studied immunohistochemically in 72 gastric cancer cases. The search for micrometastases was performed with an immunohistochemical technique in 20 NO cases. Apoptosis determination was assessed with the TUNEL assay. The chi2 test according to Pearson was used for statistical analysis. The apoptotic index was related to both stage and prognosis: high expression cases showed an earlier stage (p < 0.02) and a better prognosis (p < 0.05). The determination of high neovessel density was related to poorer 5-year survival (p < 0.05). Only the expression of VEGF-C correlated inversely with prognosis (p < 0.05). The presence of micrometastases was unrelated to any of the biological markers studied. Our results partly confirm those reported in the literature. The present study revealed a number of biological markers that may be helpful for identifying particular subgroups of patients. More investigation with similar techniques in large prospective series is needed as a support to clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia P Valdoni, Seconda Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Azienda Ospedaliera Sant' Andrea, Roma.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aurello
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nigri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cicchini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciardi
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coluccia
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ercolani
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cescon
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucchetti
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravaioli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Gaudio
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramacciato
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000032:analysis; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors