PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR EXPRESSION IN GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

BACKGROUND. Many studies have shown that angiogenesis plays an importa nt role in the growth, progression, and metastasis of solid tumors. Re cently, several angiogenic factors have been identified. Vascular endo thelial growth factor (VEGF) is thought to be one such angiogenic fact or and is also thought to be a selective mitogen for endothelial cells . We investigated the correlation between the expression of VEGF and t he progression of gastric carcinoma. METHODS. One hundred twenty-nine specimens resected from patients with gastric carcinoma were investiga ted by staining with a polyclonal antibody against VEGF. Correlations between the expression of VEGF, microvessel density, and various clini copathologic factors were studied. RESULTS. Microvessel density, deter mined by immunostaining for Factor VIII related antigen, was significa ntly higher in VEGF-positive tumors than in VEGF-negative tumors. VEGF positivity was correlated with vessel involvement, lymph node metasta sis, and liver metastasis. Moreover, patients with VEGF-positive tumor s had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with VEGF-negative t umors. Multivariate analysis indicated that the expression of VEGF is an independent prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer. Acco rding to the mode of recurrence, the frequency of hepatic metastases w as significantly increased among patients with VEGF-positive tumors. C ONCLUSIONS. The expression of VEGF may be a good prognostic indicator for patients with gastric carcinoma and may also be useful as a predic tor of the mode of recurrence in patients with gastric carcinoma. (C) 1996 American Cancer Society.