title: VEGF, COX-2, and PCNA expression in renal cell carcinoma subtypes and their prognostic value.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prognostic value of new markers such as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2), and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and review their differences in expression by histological subtype in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  About 99 patients who underwent radical (n = 79) or partial nephrectomy (n = 20) were included in this study. Histopathological specimens from the subjects were retrospectively analyzed immunohistochemically for the presence of VEGF, COX-2, or PCNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean staining ratios for VEGF, COX-2, and PCNA were 16.5, 16.8, and 31%, respectively. Correlations were evaluated among these three prognostic factors. There was no correlation between PCNA and VEGF (P = .068), but there were significant correlations between COX-2 and both PCNA and VEGF (P = .005 and P = .000, respectively). A significant correlation was found between the expression of VEGF and both pathologic stage and vascular invasion (P = .018 and P = .025, respectively). In addition, patients with conventional RCC had significantly lower VEGF and COX-2 levels than those with papillary RCC (P < .012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is obvious that prognostic factors such as VEGF, COX-2, and PCNA may vary depending on histological subtype. The level of expression of these factors together with histological subtype may provide valuable predictive information about the outcome of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Baskent University School of Medicine, 5. Sokak, No: 48, Kat:3, 06490, Bahcelievler, Ankara, Turkey. drayhan_dirim@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirim
authors.forename: Asuman Nihan
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Haberal
authors.forename: Mehmet Resit
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Goren
authors.forename: Mehmet Ilteris
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peskircioglu
authors.forename: Beyhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demirhan
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkardes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2