EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN THE CYST FLUID OFHUMAN CEREBRAL GLIOMAS

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or vascular permeability fac tor (VPF) has been shown to play a key role in angiogenesis in several solid tumours including human brain neoplasms. Its expression has als o been found to be correlated to malignancy in the major class of thes e tumours, gliomas. Moreover, it has been suggested that cyst fluids ( CFs) associated with human gliomas may contain a permeability factor r esponsible for the formation of brain edema and disruption of the bloo d-brain barrier generally observed in these tumours. We demonstrate th at VEGF is present in low and high grade gliomas of seven patients. We also show that VEGF concentration increases with increasing malignanc y of the tumours. Although further cases should be investigated, these results suggest that the amount of CF-VEGF may be of value in the dia gnosis of human gliomas.