ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a risk factor in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (SCCP). Methods: Forty seven patients with penile carcinoma were evaluated retrospectively. The mean age and standard deviation were 61.1ñ11.7 years. All of them were treated by penectomy and those with positive nodes underwent groin lymphadenectomy. Tumor grading was 35 G1 and 12 G2/3. Primary lesion stage was 24 pTl and 23 pT2-4. Positive inguinal nodes were observed in 15 patients. Selected paraffin embedded sections were submitted to VEGF immunohistochemical analysis by the avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method with antigen retrieval. All slides were examined using an automatic analyzer system and the proportion of labeled cells in 10 high magnification power fields (400X) were recorded in a blind analysis. Results - Median (percent) labeling index was 2.3 in Gl versus 2.2 in G2/3 tumors (p=0.60), and 4.0 in pTl versus 1.8 pT2-4 tumors (p=0.10). The respective data for pN0 patients was 2.8 and for pN+ was 2.1 (p=0.20). Survival curves showed no association with patients survival. Conclusion: In squamous cell carcinoma of the penis the VEGF immunoexpression has no association with tumor grade or stage, as well as with patient survival.