title: Microvascular density and endothelial area correlate with Ki-67 proliferative index in surgically-treated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients.
abstract: Previous experimental and clinical data have indicated that tumour cell proliferation is associated with angiogenesis; in addition, an increased microvascular density (MVD) of tumours has been associated with poor prognosis in solid and haematological malignancies. However, limited data exists regarding the association between tumour cell proliferation and angiogenesis in primary tumour tissue from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients; therefore, the present study aimed to investigate this association. A series of 31 PDAC patients with stage Tumour (T)2-3Node (N)0-1Metastasis (M)0were recruited into the present study and subsequently underwent surgery. PDAC tissue and adjacent normal tissue (ANT), resected during surgery, were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and image analysis methods to determine MVD, endothelial area (EA) and Ki-67 expression, which is an indicator of cell proliferation rate. The results demonstrated a correlation between the above parameters with each other as well as the main clinico-pathological features of PDAC. Significant differences were identified in MVD, EA and Ki-67 proliferation index between PDAC and ANT. It was demonstrated that MVD, EA and Ki-67 proliferation index were significantly correlated with each other in tumour tissue (r=0.69-0.81; P=0.001-0.003). However, no other significant correlations were identified. These data therefore suggested that angiogenesis and cell proliferation rate were significantly increased in PDAC compared with ANT, which provides a biological basis for the potential use of novel combinations of angiogenesis inhibitors and anti-proliferative chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of PDAC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Science, Clinical Surgery Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy ; Surgery Unit, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammendola
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Science, Clinical Surgery Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marech
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Science, Clinical Surgery Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sammarco
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Pathology Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zuccalà
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Science, Cardiovascular Disease Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luposella
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patruno
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgery Science, Clinical Surgery Unit, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro 88100, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Surgery Unit, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Eustachio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruggieri
authors.affiliation: Chair of Pathology, 'Aldo Moro' University of Bari, Bari 70010, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zizzo
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosmo Damiano
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gadaleta
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Unit with Integrated Section of Translational Medical Oncology, National Cancer Research Centre, 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari 70124, Italy.
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranieri
keywords: Ki-67 proliferation index; adjacent normal tissue; angiogenesis; endothelial area; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma