Neoangiogenesis in cervical cancer: focus on CD34 assessment.
Despite recent advances in understanding the immune mechanisms of cervical cancer (CC), relapse remains still an actual issue and recognition of new predictive biomarkers is essential.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate neo-angiogenesis in CC and its possible utility as prognostic biomarker.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 61 consecutive women with CC were immunostained for CD34 and E-cadherin. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS-12 software, p<0.05.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences between CD34 distribution among three interest tumor regions: micro-vessels density increase from central to peripheral area (chi(2), p<0.05); statistically significant correlation between CD34 expression, particularly in stromal and peripheral sites, E-cadherin (Spearman r1=-0.321) and lymphatic invasion (Spearman r2=0.455) (p<0.05) were reported. Overall five-year survival is clearly dependent on level and distribution of tumor angiogenesis among defined area of interest as suggested by Kaplan-Meier analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Angiogenesis is essential for guiding CC evolution and prognosis, particularly in squamous invasive types.
Ancuţa
Codrina
C
Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iassy, Romania. alexia02ro@yahoo.com
Ancuţa
E
E
Zugun-Eloae
Fl
F
Carasevici
E
E
D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D018952:Antigens, CD34