TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS AS A PREDICTOR OF RECURRENCE IN GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

Purpose: We investigated the correlation between tumor angiogenic acti vity and progression of gastric carcinoma using immunohistochemical st aining with antifactor VIII-related antigen (F-VIII RAg) antibody. Mat erials and Methods: One hundred twenty-four specimens resected from pa tients with gastric carcinoma were investigated by staining with a mon oclonal antibody against F-VIII RAg. Correlations between the microves sel count (the mean number of microvessels in the five areas of highes t vascular density at 200 times magnification), various clinicopatholo gic factors, and prognosis were studied. Results: The microvessel coun t increased with histologic stage. The microvessel count was significa ntly higher in patients with lymph node metastases than in those witho ut such metastases. Moreover, in patients with a high microvessel coun t (greater than or equal to 16), prognosis was significantly poorer th an in those with low count (< 16). Multivariate analysis indicated tha t the microvessel count is an independent prognostic factor in patient s with gastric cancer. According to the mode of recurrence, the freque ncy of hepatic metastases wets significantly increased in patients wit h a high count. Conclusion: Microvessel count may be a good prognostic indicator and may be useful as a predictor for the mode of recurrence in patients with gastric carcinoma.