CORRELATION BETWEEN EXPRESSION OF PLATELET-DERIVED ENDOTHELIAL-CELL GROWTH-FACTOR (THYMIDINE PHOSPHORYLASE) AND MICROVESSEL DENSITY IN EARLY-STAGE HUMAN COLON CARCINOMAS

Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor may play a role in tum or development through its angiogenic action. To clarify the relations hip between expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth fac tor and microvessel density in the development of human colon carcinom a, we examined 80 early-stage colon carcinomas using microscopy and im munohistochemistry. Localization of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor was assessed by immunocytochemistry, while microvessel c ount was evaluated by either HE staining or Factor VIII immunostaining . Among the examined carcinomas, 35 were classified as m carcinomas in cluding carcinoma in situ, whereas 45 were sm carcinomas, Fifteen (42. 9%) of the 35 m and 30 (66.7%) of the 45 sm carcinomas demonstrated hi gh vascular density, whereas 20 (57.1%) m and 15 (33.3%) sm carcinomas showed moderate or low vascular density, Vascular density was higher in sm carcinomas than in m carcinomas and there was a significant corr elation between depth of invasion and vascular density. Of the 45 high ly vascularized carcinomas, 44 expressed platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, There was a statistically significant correlation between the frequency of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth fact or expression and microvessel density (P = 0.012). These data demonstr ate that microvessel density may be associated with the depth of cance r invasion and that platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor ma y play an important role in the early stage of colon cancer developmen t through angiogenesis.