RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and metastin in colorectal carcinoma and their association with the clinicopathological features of the malignancy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>VEGF and metastin expressions were examined immunohistochemically with SP method in 70 specimens of human colorectal carcinoma tissues and adjacent normal tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VEGF protein overexpression was detected in 48.6% (34/70)of the colorectal carcinoma tissues but in none of the adjacent normal tissues (P<0.01), and for metastin, the overexpression rate was 28.6% (20/70) in the colorectal carcinoma tissues and 70.0% (49/70) in the normal tissues (P<0.01). The expression of both VEGF and metastin was related to the histological grades, infiltration depth, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis of the tumor (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Immunohistochemical detection of VEGF and metastin can be of value in assessment of the malignancy and in prognostic evaluation of colorectal carcinoma.</p>