Prognostic importance of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in the uterine sarcoma

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2005 Mar-Apr;15(2):329-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1438.2005.15225.x.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors play an important role in tumor progression; however, there is no report regarding this factor in uterine sarcoma. Thirty-nine patients with uterine sarcoma, 14 carcinosarcomas, 4 endometrial stromal sarcomas, and 21 leiomyosarcomas, were studied. By immunohistochemical staining, VEGF was not detected in normal uterine smooth muscle, but VEGF receptor-1 (flt-1) and VEGF receptor-2 (flk-1) were observed in 14 and 4 of 14 normal smooth muscles, respectively. Of 39 sarcomas, 25 expressed VEGF, and 38 and 34 sarcomas expressed flt-1 and flk-1 at various intensities, respectively. The staining intensity of VEGF, flt-1, and flk-1 was significantly higher in sarcoma than in normal uterine smooth muscle, but that of phospho-flt-1 (p-flt-1) was significantly lower in sarcoma than in normal uterine smooth muscle. When sarcomas were divided into two groups according to staining intensity, a significant difference in survival curves was observed in only p-flt-1 of leiomyosarcoma (P= 0.008), and in all sarcomas, a lower survival curve was also observed in the high staining intensity group than in the low staining intensity group, although there was no significant difference (P= 0.102). In conclusion, VEGF and its receptors are suggested to be involved in progression of uterine sarcoma, but only the p-flt-1 level significantly affected the survival of leiomyosarcoma patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Leiomyosarcoma / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Smooth
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sarcoma / pathology*
  • Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal / pathology*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / analysis*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / analysis*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / analysis*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2