title: Vascular endothelial growth factor and endoglin expression in colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression has been associated with advanced stage and poor survival in several cancers. Additionally, endoglin was proposed as a marker of neovascularization in solid malignancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the VEGF and endoglin expression in colorectal carcinoma patients, as well as to correlate the VEGF and endoglin expression with standard parameters, to define their potential prognostic role. VEGF and endoglin expression were evaluated in 99 unrelated patients with colorectal cancer using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular endothelial growth factor and endoglobin expression were positively interrelated. No significant correlation of VEGF and endoglin expression with clinicopathological parameters was observed in our cases. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves have demonstrated a clear association of cancer-specific overall survival with high VEGF, as well as high endoglin expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support that VEGF and endoglin act as two valuable indicators of prognosis.
authors.affiliation: First Surgical Department, "Tzaneion" Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dassoulas
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazouli
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: Zoi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Christoni
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.forename: Adamantia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zisi-Serbetzoglou
authors.forename: Chrissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glava
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karantanos
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klonaris
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karakitsos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A