Serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) are associated with prognosis in esophageal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases and angiogenesis contribute to growth and spread of cancer. We investigated the correlation between pretreatment serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), and clinicopathologic features and survival in patients with esophageal cancer (EC). MATERIAL/METHODS: Serum TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 89 patients with EC, and 30 healthy controls. RESULTS: Serum TIMP-1 and VEGF-A levels were significantly higher in patients with esophageal carcinoma than in the control group (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). High levels of TIMP-1 were associated with histological type (p<0.001), tumor depth (p<0.001), stage (p<0.001) and lymph node metastases (p=0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that tumor size (p<0.001), tumor depth (p<0.001), stage (p<0.001), lymph node metastases (p=0.002), distant metastases (p=0.009) and resectability (p=0.003), were correlated with an elevated level of VEGF-A. Patients with elevated levels of TIMP-1 and VEGF-A had a significantly lower overall survival (p=0.02 and p=0.048, respectively), and disease-free survival (TIMP-1, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: High serum levels of TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were found to be associated with tumor progression and unfavorable prognosis in patients with EC.

Circulating anti-p53 antibodies in esophageal cancer patients.

Circulating anti-p53 protein antibodies (p53-Abs) have been detected in some cancer patients. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of circulating anti-p53 protein antibodies and their clinical significance in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Serum specimens from 75 consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinomas and 10 healthy subjects were studied. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA--Pharma Cell) was used to detect p53-Abs. At the time of diagnosis 20 (26.6%) of 75 analyzed patients had positive result in the p53-Abs test, but not any of the healthy subjects. The positive rate was 25% (1/4) cases in stage I, 41% (10/24) cases in stage IIA, 0% (0/8) cases in stage IIB, 28% (8/28) cases in stage III and 9% (1/11) cases in stage IV. In respect of tumour differentiation, cases graded as G1, G2 and G3 were positive in 28.5% (4/14), 25.9% (7/27) and 26.4% (9/34), respectively. There was no correlation between presence of p53-Abs and stage, rumour differentiation, lymph nodes metastases, tumour size, patient age and sex. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that serum p53-Abs did not correlate with cliniocopathologic feature of esophageal carcinoma.

Angiogenesis in endometrial cancer.

We evaluated the level of angiogenesis in endometrial adenocarcinoma and investigated the relationship between tumor vascularity and clinicopathological parameters. The level of angiogenesis in noninvaded uterine smooth muscle was also studied. Angiogenesis was studied in uteri of 29 post-menopausal women operated on for endometrial cancer. DAKO EPOS Anti-Human von Willebrand Factor/HRP antibodies were applied to mark endothelial cells. Both vessels and endothelial cells were counted on a light microscope equipped with computerized morphometric appliance. The highest density of vessels and endothelial cells was found in disease-free uterine smooth muscle tissue situated distant to the tumor. Density of vessels and endothelial cell counts were higher in the outer as compared to the central parts of the tumor. We found statistically significant differences in total angiogenic points' density between groups of various clinical FIGO staging, specifically between Ia and Ib, Ic, II. A positive correlation was found between the clinical stage of the disease (according to FIGO) and the total angiogenic points' density, density of endothelial cells and the density of vessels with viable lumen (counts/sq. mm calculated from the central parts of the tumor). These results suggest that the analysis of angiogenesis may be a useful biologic parameter and additional study of neovascularization in endometrial cancer is warranted.