Lung carcinoids - Tumor angiogenesis in relation to clinicopathologic characteristics

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of carcinoid angiogenesis for t he presence of lymph node metastases, histologic subtype and tumor size. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 72 resected primary lung carcino ids, 57 typical and 15 atypical. TNM I staging was performed. The histologi c criteria for carcinoids tons based on the Flieder classification. Angioge nesis, expressed as tumor microvessel density, was estimated in sections st ained with CD34 antibody, according to Weidner's method. RESULTS: The size of carcinoids was related to the histologic type: the ave rage tumor diameter of typical carcinoids tons significantly smaller than t he average diameter of atypical carcinoids (P = .003, U = 207, Z = -3.023). Atypical carcinoids represented a more aggressive form of tumors than typi cal carcinoids; patients with typical carcinoids developed lymph node metas tases less frequently (10% vs. 33%) as compared to patients with atypical c arcinoids; the difference was statistically significant (P = .032). Tumor a ngiogenesis failed to distinguish the histologic type of carcinoids and did not indicate the presence or absence of regional lymph node metastases; ne ither did pTN stage or tumor size. CONCLUSION: Angiogenesis is not a determining factor of the metastatic pote ntial of pulmonary carcinoids.