ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Methods:Surgical specimens from 45 patients with oral SCC were examined for VEGF expression and microvessel density(MVD) by immunocytochemical staining. Anti-VEGF polyclonal antibody was used to determine VEGF expression and anti-CD 34 monoclonal antibody was used to determine MVD. Results:①VEGF protein was mainly found in cytoplasm of cancer cells and in few endothelial cells. Stained microvessels were mainly distributed in the regions of the connective tissue near the cancer nest;②there was a close positive correlation between MVD and VEGF expression;③SCC with high MVD or high VEGF level was mostly found with metastasis in cervical lymph node (P