Clinical values of vascular endothelial growth factor expression and microvascular density analysis in liver cancer specimens / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in microvessel angiogenesis, development and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cellular distributions of VEGF expression and microvascular density (MVD) in 36 HCCs were investigated, and the levels of total RNA and VEGF were detected in HCCs, Para cancerous, and distal cancerous tissues, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence of VEGF was 63.9% in 36 cases of HCCs, 78.3% in non-encapsulated HCCs, and 90.9% in HCCs with extrahepatic metastasis, respectively. The VEGF expression was tightly correlated with MVD (t=4.49, P<0.01). No significant difference was found between VEGF or MVD and tumor diameter or differentiation degree. The level of total RNA in HCCs was lower but the VEGF level significantly higher than those of Para cancerous or distal cancerous ones (q=6.10, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present data suggest that VEGF over expression and MVD abnormality are useful markers for vascular invasion and metastasis of liver tumors.</p>