P53, VESSEL COUNT, AND VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR EXPRESSION IN HUMAN COLON-CANCER

We previously demonstrated an association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vessel counts and metastasis in human colon can cer specimens, Mutant p53 has been implicated in the regulation of ang iogenesis, Immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein has been assoc iated with p53 gene mutations, We sought to determine a correlation be tween p53 protein detection (i.e., mutant p53), VEGF expression and ve ssel counts in human colon cancer, Surgical specimens from 93 patients with colon cancer were stained immuno-histochemically for p53, VEGF a nd factor VIII. Vessel counts were greater in metastatic tumors than i n non-metastatic tumors and adenomas, and greater in non-metastatic tu mors than in adenomas, Vessel counts were highest in tumors with the h ighest VEGF expression. Vessel counts and VEGF expression were greater in p53 positive tumors than in p53-negative tumors, p53 expression co rrelated with both VEGF expression and vessel count, The association o f p53 expression with VEGF and vessel count suggests that the poor pro gnosis associated with p53 mutations may be due, in part, to the role of mutant p53 in promoting angiogenesis. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.