Prognostic significance of VEGF expression in patients with bulky cervical carcinoma undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
The prediction of response to treatment would be valuable for managing cervical carcinoma with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.


METHODS
To this end, the expression of VEGF was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using paraffin-embedded pre-treatment cervical biopsy tissues. This study included 29 patients with bulky IB to IIA cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.


RESULTS
Fifteen (51.7%) of 29 patients were scored as VEGF-positive. Response to chemotherapy (complete response or residual tumor with less than 3 mm stromal invasion) was observed in eight patients (27.6%), and it was negatively associated with VEGF expression (P = 0.009). With logistic regression analysis, VEGF positivity continued to be an independent predictor for poor response (P = 0.032). In addition, the progression-free survival rate was significantly lower in patients with VEGF-positive tumors (P = 0.033).


CONCLUSIONS
Pretreatment assessment of VEGF expression may provide additional information for identification of patients with cervical cancer who had a low likelihood of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and an unfavorable prognosis.
Choi
Chel Hun
CH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. Chelhun.choi@samsung.com
Song
Sang Yong
SY
Choi
Jung-Joo
JJ
Park
Young Ae
YA
Kang
Heeseok
H
Kim
Tae-Joong
TJ
Lee
Jeong-Won
JW
Kim
Byoung-Gie
BG
Lee
Je-Ho
JH
Bae
Duk-Soo
DS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016685:Mitomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D002945:Cisplatin