title: VEGFR2 expression and relationship between tumor neovascularization and histologic characteristics in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Neovascularization in the stroma of a tumor plays an important role in tumor growth and the establishment of metastases. The present study examined the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in 34 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Moreover, the relationships between parameters of tumor neovascularization (count of VEGFR2-positive [+] cells and total size of vessel lumen [TSVL]) and those of histology (differentiation type and mode of invasion) were analyzed statistically. Immunohistochemical expression of VEGFR2 was localized in stromal cells at the tumor invasive front. The VEGFR2+ cell count around poorly differentiated tumors was significantly higher than that around well differentiated tumors (P = 0.032, one-way ANOVA). The TSVL around the well differentiated type was found to be significantly larger than that around the poorly or moderately differentiated type (P < 0.001, respectively; one-way ANOVA). With regard to the mode of invasion, the TSVL was significantly larger for lower-grade (Grades 1+2) than for higher-grade (Grades 3+4) tumors (P < 0.001, unpaired t-test). On the basis of our results, we suggest that vascular development at the invasive front of OSCC is governed by the following factors: the tumor cells themselves may induce hemangiogenesis in the adjoining stromal tissue; hemangiogenic activity is higher when parenchymal intercellular adhesion is looser and when the parenchymal area exposed to the stroma is greater; and the rate of blood flow is higher when parenchymal intercellular adhesion is tighter and parenchymal nests are larger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan. staisei@iwate-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2