title: Evaluation and Comparison of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression between Ameloblastoma and Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is a developmental odontogenic cyst with an aggressive clinical behavior suggesting a change in its terminology from a cyst to a tumor and has now been renamed as keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT). The purpose of this study was to assess and compare angiogenesis in ameloblastoma and OKC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Angiogenesis was assessed by studying the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The study samples included 15 ameloblastomas and 15 KCOTs. The immunoreactivity was statistically evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VEGF expression was higher in ameloblastoma than KCOTs. However, a non-significant difference of VEGF expression was noted between ameloblastoma and KCOTs (P = 0.345).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that tumor angiogenesis may play a significant role in aggressive biologic behavior of KCOT. Thus, angiogenesis could be a potent target for developing anatiangiogenic therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Oral Pathology, SRM Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Thayalan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dineshkumar
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology, SRM Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Nataraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Priyadharsini
authors.affiliation: Professor & Head, Department of Dental Surgery, KAPV Government Medical College & Hospitals, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: U Punitha
authors.initials: UP
authors.lastname: Gnanaselvi
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology, Sri Venkateswara Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sathishkumar
authors.affiliation: Post-graduate Student, Department of Oral Pathology, SRM Dental College, Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Srikanth
authors.affiliation: Post-graduate Student, Department of Oral Pathology, SRM Dental College, Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Nagarathinam
keywords: Ameloblastoma; angiogenesis; keratocystic odontogenic tumor; vascular endothelial growth factor