title: Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression is increased in malignant salivary gland tumors.
abstract: Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) consist of a heterogeneous group of lesions accounting for 3% to 10% of all head and neck neoplasms. Little is known about their angiogenic properties, and despite vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been previously studied in these lesions, further investigations are warranted to better determine its clinical and prognostic significance. In the current study, a total of 132 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded SGTs were organized in tissue microarray blocks and submitted to immunohistochemistry against VEGF protein. Slides were scanned and immunoreactions analyzed using Pixelcount V9 algorithm (Aperio Technologies Inc, Vista, CA, USA). Clinical and follow-up data were retrieved from patients' medical charts. Tumors included 50 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, 32 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 30 adenocarcinomas not otherwise specified, and 20 adenoid cystic carcinomas. A slight male preponderance was found (1.1:1.0), with a mean age of 47.5 years. Parotid gland was the most affected location. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression was found in the cytoplasm of all cases analyzed with variable intensity, proving to be overexpressed in malignant tumors if compared with pleomorphic adenoma. A significant correlation of VEGF reactivity was found only with age, showing no further significant associations. Age and presence of paresthesia were the only features that predicted a lower specific survival rate under univariate and multivariate analyses. Log-rank test evidenced VEGF high expression as a potential determinant of reduced survival, although a statistical significance could not be reached. Hence, considering VEGF overexpression in malignant tumors and its potential association with a lower survival rate, this protein might be associated with SGTs pathogenesis and aggressiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe Paiva
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Paulo Montanhana
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Viviane
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Mariano
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaringology and Head and Neck Surgery, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Paulo
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio Ajudarte
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dental School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manoela Domingues
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dental School, State University of Western Paraná, Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia Carrinho Ayroza
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alan Roger
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Electronic address: pavargas@fop.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Pablo Agustin
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vargas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: VEGF; salivary gland tumors; vascular endothelial growth factor