Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Colorectal Cancer

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The neovascularization is an essential factor for the growth of solid organ cancer and especially vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been known to the very important mediator of neovascularization. Thus, this study was searching that expression of VEGF in colorectal cancer correlate to clinicopathologic factors. METHODS: We analyzed 93 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer who underwent colectomy and their specimens were studied immunohistochemistry at Chosun University hospital from March, 2002 to November, 2005. RESULTS: The expression rate of VEGF was 61 cases of all (65.6%). There were no significant relation VEGF expression to age, sex and lymph node metastasis. But, VEGF expression in colon cancer was 80.5% rather than 53.8% in rectal cancer (P=0.010). Correlation with T staging, expression of VEGF was 10.0% in pT0, 62.5% in pT1, pT2 and 77.2% in pT3, pT4 (P<0.0001), and correlation with TNM staging, expression of VEGF was 10.0% in stage 0, 63.2% in stage I, 72.0% in stage II, 73.3% in stage III and 100.0% in stage IV (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of VEGF in colorectal cancer closely correlates with cancer progression and VEGF was more expressed in colon cancer than rectum.