ASSOCIATION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR EXPRESSION WITH TUMOR-CELL PROLIFERATION IN OVARIAN-CARCINOMA

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)is a potent angiogenic factor that may also function as an autocrine growth regulator: Thirty-one o varian carcinomas were investigated for mRNA expression of VEGF and of a proliferation-dependent gene (histone H3) using slot-blot analysis. Tumor vascularity was assessed by immunohistochemistry and factor VII I. All tumors were demonstrated to express VEGF and histone H3, throug h to various degrees. There was a good correlation between VEGF mRNA v alues and histone H3 mRNA values (r=0.71, p<0.05). No correlation was found between tumor cell proliferation and tumor vascularity. There wa s no significant difference in relapse-free interval or overall surviv al between tumors with low and high VEGF expression. The close correla tion of VEGF expression with tumor cell proliferation in this study ra ises the possibility of autocrine stimulation of ovarian carcinoma.