Prediction of Invasiveness by the Expressions of CD105 (Endoglin), D2-40 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors A and D in the Endoscopic Biopsy Tissue of Stomach Cancer Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: CD105 (endoglin) has been shown to be a more useful marker to identify the proliferating endothelium involved in tumor angiogenesis than are the panendothelial markers. The monoclonal antibody D2-40 is a specific lymphatic endothelial marker. METHODS: We investigated CD105, lymphatic vessel marker (D2-40), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGD)-A and the VEGF-D expressions as possible prognostic markers in the endoscopic biopsy tissue of stomach cancer patients. The pre-operative endoscopic biopsies and surgical biopsies from 73 patients were immunostained for CD105, D2-40, VEGF-A and VEGF-D. Positively stained microvessels were counted in densely vascular foci (hot spots) at a x200 field in each specimen. RESULTS: The microvessel density (MVD) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD), according to the CD105 and D2-40 expressions of the endoscopic biopsies, showed a statistically significant correlation with the surgical biopsies. The MVD via CD105 a showed statistically significant correlation with the histologic differentiation, T-stage, nodal metastasis and stage in the endoscopic biopsies and surgical biopsies, respectively. The lympathic vessel density (LVD) via D2-40 showed a statistically significant correlation with T-stage, nodal metastasis and stage in the endoscopic biopsies. The expressions of VEGF-A and VEGF-D showed a statistically significant correlation with the MVD and LVD. CONCLUSION: The MVD, as determined by the CD105 expression and the LVD as determined by the D2-40 expression may be useful markers for predicting the invasiveness with using a pre-operative endoscopic biopsy of stomach cancer.