EXPRESSION OF PDGF, IGF-II, BFGF AND TGF-BETA-1 IN PULMONARY ADENOCARCINOMA

Effects of the expression of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) , insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), basic fibroblast growth fact or (bFGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 were studied ind ividually and in combinations with the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma using paraffin embedded tissue s pecimens. Tumor sections from 90 patients with pulmonary adenocarcinom a were stained immunohistochemically for PDGF, IGF-II, bFGF and TGF-be ta 1 by the ABC method. The survival rate was worse in patients in who m each of the four growth factors was expressed than in those where gr owth factors were not expressed. The reduced expression of the four gr owth factors correlated with less tumor agressiveness and better progn osis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma.