PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTOR FLT-1 IN SQUAMOUS-CELL LUNG-CANCER

Tumor specimens from 109 patients with previously untreated squamous c ell lung carcinomas were analyzed immunohistologically for the express ion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor Flt- I. Our analysis attempted to determine whether these factors have addi tional prognostic value for the patients' survival. VEGF staining was seen in 59% and Flt-I staining in 68% of the cases. No significant cor relations were detected between VEGF or Flt-I expression and stage or metastasis. Patients with VEGF-stained tumors had significantly lower survival times than patients with negative tumors. Expression of Flt-I showed no significant correlation with survival. Combining VEGF and F lt-I expressions did not improve the prognostic value. Multivariate an alysis showed that metastasis and VECF expression are significant and independent prognostic factors for the survival of patients with squam ous cell lung carcinomas. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc,.