Vascular endothelial growth factor in cervical carcinoma

Objective: To quantitate vascular endothelial growth factor of cervical car cinoma and elucidate its clinical correlation. Methods: Intratumoral protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor were measured in 104 cervical cancer patients and in 30 cervical tissue spe cimens of benign gynecologic diseases as controls. The concentrations were correlated with clinical and pathologic characteristics. Results: The median concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor in cervical cancer tissues were higher than those in benign cervical tissues (180.0 versus 0.0 pg/mg of protein, P < .001). Tumors larger than 4 cm (103 0.0 versus 118.0 pg/mg of protein, P < .001) and with deep stromal invasion (364.0 versus 111.0 pg/mg of protein, P = .016) had higher levels than tho se smaller than 4 cm or with superficial stromal invasion. Higher levels we re also found in tumors with lymphovascular emboli (568.0 versus 118.0 pg/m g of protein, P = .006), parametrial invasion (582.0 Versus 117.0 pg/mg of protein, P = .04), and pelvic lymph node metastasis (759.5 versus 121.0 pg/ mg of protein, P = .002) than in those without. The protein levels of vascu lar endothelial growth factor correlated positively with tumor sizes (r. = 0.340, P < .001). Tumors with overexpressed VEGF were larger (3.35 +/- 1.17 versus 2.13 +/- 1.28 cm, P < .001) and had higher incidence of deep stroma l invasion (20 of 57 Versus 6 of 47, P = .009), lymphovascular emboli (15 o f 33 versus 11 of 71, P = .011), parametrial invasion (15 of 32 versus 11 o f 72, P = .002), and lymph node metastasis (10 of 20 versus 16 of 84 P = .0 04). Conclusion: Intratumoral protein level of vascular endothelial growth facto r in cervical cancer tissue correlates well with local tumor progression an d tumor metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor might be a marker fo r evaluating disease severity. (C) 1999 by The American college of Obstetri cians and Gynecologists.