The relationship between microvessel density, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the extension of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective: The present study was aimed at clarifying whether the microvesse l density (MVD) and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (V EGF) were related to the degree of local invasion and metastasis in nasopha ryngeal carcinoma (NPC), Study Design: We measured the MVD and examined whe ther VEGF was expressed in NPC tissue using histological study combined wit h immunohistochemistry, Methods: MVD and VEGF expression was measured in 73 specimens of NPC, 15 benign tumors of nasopharyngeal region, and 20 nasoph aryngeal tissue without tumor. MVD and VEGF expression in NPC was compared between a metastasis group (49 specimens) and a non-metastasis group (24 sp ecimens). Results: Both MVD and VEGF expression were markedly increased in NPC tissue as compared with those in benign tumors of nasopharyngeal region . Both MVD and VEGF expression in NPC tissue with metastasis mere statistic ally significantly increased as compared with those in NPC without metastas is, Therefore, the invasion and metastasis of NPC cells were closely relate d to MVD and the expression of VEGF in NPC tissue. Conclusion: The metastat ic potency of NPC tissue and the prognosis of the patients with NPC can be estimated by measuring MVD and the expression of VEGF in NPC tissue. Drugs that have inhibitory actions on angiogenesis could be useful to prevent met astasis of NPC cells in the patients.