title: Clinicopathological significance of vascular endothelial growth factor, thymidine phosphorylase and microvessel density in colorectal cancer.
abstract: Colorectal cancer is a common malignant disease, the incidence of which is increasing worldwide, therefore, identifying novel prognostic factors to improve adjuvant therapeutic strategies or postoperative monitoring is required. Angiogenesis, which is assessed by microvessel density (MVD), is significant in tumor growth and metastasis. However, the association between angiogenesis and clinical outcome remains controversial. In the present study, 84 surgically resected cases of colorectal cancer were examined to clarify the clinicopathological significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and cluster of differentiation (CD)34 expression levels. VEGF expression was identified to be significantly correlated with TP expression (r=0.45; P<0.0001) and MVD in the high VEGF expression group was observed to be significantly greater than that in the low VEGF expression group (P=0.0194). In the Dukes' stage D group, the MVD in the high TP expression group was significantly greater than that in the low TP expression group (P=0.0149). High VEGF expression was subsequently correlated with a short overall survival rate for patients exhibiting lymph node metastasis (P=0.0128); however, there was no significant difference in overall survival rate regarding the expression levels of TP and CD34. The results of the present study indicate that VEGF expression may serve as a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer patients exhibiting lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, angiogenesis, as assessed by MVD, is an important prognostic factor for tumor growth at the primary site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Bioscience, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morohashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Bioscience, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morohashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Bioscience, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, Hirosaki, Aomori 036‑8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hakamada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase