ABSTRACT
Vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] is a signal protein produced by cells that stimulates angiogenesis and increased vascular permeability. The prognostic value of VEGF expression in colorectal cancer is unclear as shown by the discordant results still reported in the literature. This study was designed for the evaluation of VEGF expression and correlation with clinicopathologic features in colorectal cancer. In this study, 60 paraffin - embedded blocks including colorectal cancer specimens and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues were evaluated for VEGF irnmunohistochemical expression and their correlation with clinicopathologic features among the patients who admitted in Sari Imam Khomeini hospital. Among the 60 patients [30 males,30 females] 51.7% [31 cases] showed VEGF overexpression [High staining], while it was 1.7% [1 case] in adjacent normal tissue [p=0.004]. VEGF expression was correlated with stage [p-value<0.001],grade [p-value<0.001], lymph node metastasis [p-value<0.001], recurrence [p-value<0.001] and tumor size [p-value<0.001]. In other clinicopathologic parameters, no relationship with VEGF expression was seen. These findings provide further evidence for the role of VEGF in colorectal carcinogenesis. Some previous studies showed discordant results, consequently more studies with larger sample size to confirm results are recommended
ABSTRACT
Most patients with gastrointestinal cancers refer to the health centers at advanced stages of the disease and conventional treatments are not significantly effective for these patients. Therefore, using modern therapeutic approaches with lower toxicity bring higher chance for successful treatment and reduced adverse effects in such patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of avocado fruit extracts on inhibition of the growth of cancer cells in comparison with normal cells. In an experimental study, ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and petroleum extracts of avocado [Persea americana] fruit were prepared. Then, the effects if the extracts on the growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma cell lines were evaluated in comparison with the control group using the MTT test in the cell culture medium. Effects of the four extracts of avocado fruit on three cells lines of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and colon adenocarcinoma were tested. The results showed that avocado fruit extract is effective in inhibition of cancer cell growth in comparison with normal cells [P<0.05]. Avocado fruit is rich in phytochemicals, which play an important role in inhibition of growth of cancer cells. The current study for the first time demonstrates the anti-cancer effect of avocado fruit extracts on two cancers common in Iran. Therefore, it is suggested that the fruit extracts can be considered as appropriate complementary treatments in treatment of esophageal and colon cancers
ABSTRACT
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in female, after lung cancer. Angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis; therefore, antiangiogenesis strategies for treatment of cancer are currently an issue of interest. The role of vascular endothelial growth factor that assumed to be most potent angiogenesis factor is ambiguous in breast cancer. This study described the correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor expression and tumor grade, to define the breast cancer patients who responder to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy. In this research, 200 cases of histological proved invasive ductal breast carcinomas analyzed for vascular endothelial growth factor expression by immunohistochemical staining via cross-sectional descriptive study. Vascular endothelial growth factor expressed in 72.54% of the breast cancers. The VEGF was more detectable in grade I [78.5%] than grade II [77.4%] and grade III [56.2%]. There is a significant correlation between tumor grade and VEGF expression [P<0.05]. According to this study, VEGF often expressed in invasive ductal breast carcinomas and inversely correlated with tumor grade. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor postulated more convenience for tumor progression suppression in low grade tumor than high grade tumor