Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Microvessel Density in Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 한국간담췌외과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a typical hypervascular tumor. Growth of tumor and their metastases are dependent on factors that stimulate vessel formation (angiogenesis). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported to play an important role in angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study examined VEGF expression immunohistochemically in hepatocellular carcinoma in clinicopathological prognostic factors. METHODS: We examined the VEGF expression and microvessel density in specimens surgically removed from 37 HCC patients by immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: The expression rate on VEGF was 43.2% in tumor cells. The degree of VEGF expression was significantly correlated with cumurative survival rate (p=0.034). But the degree of VEGF expression did not correlate with any clinicopathological characteristics (p.0.05). VEGF expression demonstrated no correlation with microvessel density (p=0.064). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that VEGF expression can be useful prognostic factor (survival rate) of hepatocellular carcinoma.