VEGF-A clinical significance in gastric cancers: immunohistochemical analysis of a wide Italian cohort.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical significance of VEGF-A expression in gastric cancer (GC) has been reported with contradicting results. We analyzed the expression and clinical significance of VEGF-A in a wide Italian cohort of GC specimens.


METHODS
VEGF-A expression was tested by immunohistochemistry in 507 patients with GC of all clinical stages. The impact of VEGF-A on overall survival (OS) was evaluated in conjunction with clinical and pathological parameters.


RESULTS
In the Italian cohort we studied VEGF-A was not an independent prognostic factor neither at the univariate nor at multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although frequently expressed, in our study VEGF-A was not able to discriminate between groups of patients with different risk.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Lastraioli
Clinical Trials Coordinating Center, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi/Istituto Toscano Tumori, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Boni
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Romoli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Crescioli
Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Taddei
Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona, Piazzale LA Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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Beghelli
Pathology Division, Borgo Trento Hospital, Piazzale A Stefani 1, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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Tomezzoli
Pathology Division, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, Viale M Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy.
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Vindigni
Pathology Division, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Via C Forlanini 34, 47121 Forlì, Italy.
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Saragoni
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Messerini
General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Bernini
General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Bencini
Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Giommoni
Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Freschi
Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Di Costanzo
Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona, Piazzale LA Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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Scarpa
General Surgery, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Via C Forlanini 34, 47121 Forlì, Italy.
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Morgagni
General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Florence, Italy.
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Farsi
Department of General Surgery and Oncology, University of Siena, Viale M Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, Italy.
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Roviello
Division of Surgery, University of Verona, Piazzale LA Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
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De Manzoni
Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Bechi
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Largo GA Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: annarosa.arcangeli@unifi.it.
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Arcangeli
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Gastric cancer; Immunohistochemistry; Prognostic markers; VEGF-A