TUMOR VASCULARITY AND BASEMENT-MEMBRANE STRUCTURE AS PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN T1-2MO PROSTATIC ADENOCARCINOMA

The basement membrane (BM) structure and vascular density (VD) were an alysed using collagen IV immunostaining in a series of ss T1-2MO prost atic adenocarcinomas. The results were correlated with the established prognostic factors and patient survival based on a follow-up of > 11 years, Prostatic cancer cells retained their capacity to synthesize BM components, although defects in the BM structures were associated wit h T2 category and high Gleason score. Progression of the tumours was r elated to the defects in BM continuity, and defective BMs were also a sign of poor outcome. High grade tumours were occupied by dense vascul ar network and dense VD was a sign of a poor outcome. Gleason score wa s a significant predictor of progression and patient survival, as was the T-category. Multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors indica ted that Gleason score included all the available independent prognost ic information. The results show that all prostatic adenocarcinomas co ntinue to synthesize BM components, although the structure and continu ity is disturbed in poorly differentiated tumours. A rich vascular net work is a sign of highly malignant phenotype in prostatic adenocarcino ma. However, an assessment of the BM and VD is of limited independent prognostic value.