Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major promoter of endothelial growth and migration. Some studies have shown a correlation between expression of this growth factor and prognosis in several cancers, including well-differentiated thyroid cancer.


OBJECTIVE
We studied VEGF expression, local invasiveness, and other prognostic factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) to test the hypothesis that the expression of VEGF is correlated with the degree of invasion of PTC.


METHODS
Clinical and pathological data of 76 patients with PTC were retrospectively reviewed. Group 1 consisted of patients with gross locally invasive tumors, group 2 consisted of patients with only invasion of the thyroid capsule, and group 3 consisted of patients with noninvasive PTC.


RESULTS
VEGF expression was noted within the tumor in all groups of PTC patients but was absent in the surrounding normal tissue. Older patients had higher expression of VEGF than younger patients. The age of patients with strong reaction to VEGF was 46 +/- 14 (mean +/- standard deviation), and that in patients with a weaker reaction was 39 +/- 16 (p < 0.05). Only 20% of patients with a follicular variant of PTC had a strong reaction to VEGF compared with 68% of patients with classical PTC (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF expression appears to be an early event in the development of PTC. Whether VEGF expression promotes the progression of PTC is not known, but the answer to this question may be important in view of its greater expression in older patients, a group whose prognosis in PTC is worse.
de Araujo-Filho
Vergilius José Furtado
VJ
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Clinics Hospital, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil. vergilius@terra.com.br
Alves
Venancio Avancini Ferreira
VA
de Castro
Ines Vieira
IV
Lourenço
Silvia Vanessa
SV
Cernea
Claudio Roberto
CR
Brandão
Lenine Garcia
LG
Ferraz
Alberto R
AR
D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A