Angiogenesis in retinoblastoma

ABSTRACT

In some cancers, a direct association has been established between tumor vascularity and biologic behavior; this relationship is not investigated in retinoblastoma. Our study examines the quantitative correlation between vessel count and other prognostic determinants in 38 enucleated eyes with retinoblastoma. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the independent effects of certain histopathologic and clinical parameters on vessel counts. The relationship between clinically assessed features such as laterality, location and size, and histopathologically assessed features such as differentiation, necrosis and clacification were also examined. The vessel count was inversely correlated with tumor size. The count was highest [6.41] when the tumor size was smallest; it was lowest [3.55] when the tumor occupied the entire globe. A significant correlation was found between tumor size and microvessel count [P<0.50], and between the degree of necrosis, as determined by histopathology, and the clinically assessed size [P=0.025]