Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and thymidine phosphorylase in cervical neoplasia and its clinical implication / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP), and to correlate them with clinicopathological factors in uterine cervical neoplasia. METHODS: A total 81 cervical biopsy specimens obtained from Jan.1995 to Aug. 1996 at YUMC were evaluated for the expressions of VEGF and TP : 9 were designated as benign, 6 as CIN 1, 11 as CIN 2, 12 as CIN 3, and 43 as invasive squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix. We applied the immunohistochemistry using primary antibodies, such as VEGF and TP monoclonal antibody on formalin-fixed, and paraffin-embedded tissues. The results of immunostaining were correlated with various clinicopathological factors of cervical cancer and patient 5-year survival. RESULTS: As the cervical tumorigenesis progressed, there was significant increase of expression of VEGF and TP. VEGF expression was inversely correlated with stage of cervical cancer and showed a significant correlation with the depth of stromal invasion and lymphovascular space invasion. TP expression in cancer cells was significantly high in tumors with advanced stage, large tumor size, pelvic node metastasis. There was an inverse relationship between VEGF and TP expression. VEGF had no significant power to predict patient survival but TP showed statistically significant correlation with poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: Both VEGF and TP play important roles in invasiveness of uterine cerival neoplasia. However, the former is important in early process and the latter in the late process of cervical tumorigenesis and affects the patient's survival in uterine cervical carcinoma, respectively.