Pilot Study on the Relationship of LPPCN with Neovascularization and Prognosis of Melanoma / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the relationship of LPPCN with neovascularization and to analyze its clini-copathologic significance, in an effort to find a new target for anti-vascular therapies. Methods: Sixty-eight ma-lignant melanoma specimens were analyzed to observe the distribution of LPPCN and to examine the expres-sion of CD105 and TGFβ1 using immunohistochemistry. The distribution of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) was observed by immunohistochemical and histochemical double staining of CD31 and PAS. Results: (1) The tu-lines and networks. Of the 68 cases of melanoma, 55.89% (38/68) were recognized as having LPPCN. (2) In malignant melanoma specimens, the rate of vasculogenic mimicry density (VMD) and microvessel density (MVD) labeled by CD105 in LPPCN-positive group were higher than those in LPPCN-negative group, with sig-nificant differences (P<0.05). VMD and MVD were positively-correlated with the density of LPPCN. The posi-tive expression of TGFβ1 in LPPCN-positive group was higher than that in LPPCN-negative group and its ex-pression in the regions of LPPCN was obviously higher than that in circumambient tumor cells, with a signifi-cant difference (P<0.05). The expression of TGFβ1 was positively correlated with MVD labeled by CD105. (3) There was no relationship between LPPCN and gender, age, site, tumor embolus, lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis (P>0.05), but LPPCN was correlated with tumor size, mitosis figure count and Breslow depth (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the survival rate of patients with LPPCN was lower than that of patients without LPPCN, with a statistical significance (P<0.05). The presence of LPPCN indicat-ed poor prognosis. Conclusion: LPPCN exists in malignant melanoma and is associated with VM and angio- genesis. Some tumor cells undergoing LPPCN have a spacial foundation for VM and angiogenesis. LPPCN can be an index for the evaluation of the prognosis of melanoma patients.