OBJECTIVE: Insight into the expression of multiple vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members can support the implementation of anti-angiogenic therapy. This study aimed to assess VEGF family member expression in ovarian cancers and related omental metastases. METHODS: Tissue microarrays encompassing 270 primary cancers and 112 paired metastases were immunostained for VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Staining intensities were categorized as absent, weak, moderate or strong. Expression was related to clinicopathological characteristics and survival. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical positivity (defined as moderate or strong expression) was observed for VEGF-A in 90%, VEGF-B in 4%, VEGF-C in 41% and VEGF-D in 55% of the primary ovarian cancers. VEGF-A expression correlated with VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression (P < 0.01). Simultaneous positivity for VEGF-A and VEGF-C or VEGF-D was observed in 38% and 54% of the cancers, respectively. Metastases showed positivity for VEGF-A in 78%, VEGF-B in 5%, VEGF-C in 26% and VEGF-D in 45% of cases. VEGF family member expression showed no independent prognostic significance in multivariate survival analysis. CONCLUSION: VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-D are widely and often simultaneously expressed in ovarian cancer, which may contribute to bevacizumab resistance. Measuring their expression could support a rational, individualized choice of anti-angiogenic therapy and might be of predictive value. Studies are warranted to determine whether combinatorial analysis of VEGF family member expression can be used to predict anti-angiogenic drug efficacy.
OBJECTIVE: Insight into the expression of multiple vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members can support the implementation of anti-angiogenic therapy. This study aimed to assess VEGF family member expression in ovarian cancers and related omental metastases. METHODS: Tissue microarrays encompassing 270 primary cancers and 112 paired metastases were immunostained for VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Staining intensities were categorized as absent, weak, moderate or strong. Expression was related to clinicopathological characteristics and survival. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical positivity (defined as moderate or strong expression) was observed for VEGF-A in 90%, VEGF-B in 4%, VEGF-C in 41% and VEGF-D in 55% of the primary ovarian cancers. VEGF-A expression correlated with VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression (P < 0.01). Simultaneous positivity for VEGF-A and VEGF-C or VEGF-D was observed in 38% and 54% of the cancers, respectively. Metastases showed positivity for VEGF-A in 78%, VEGF-B in 5%, VEGF-C in 26% and VEGF-D in 45% of cases. VEGF family member expression showed no independent prognostic significance in multivariate survival analysis. CONCLUSION:VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGF-D are widely and often simultaneously expressed in ovarian cancer, which may contribute to bevacizumab resistance. Measuring their expression could support a rational, individualized choice of anti-angiogenic therapy and might be of predictive value. Studies are warranted to determine whether combinatorial analysis of VEGF family member expression can be used to predict anti-angiogenic drug efficacy.
Authors: Boris Winterhoff; Luisa Freyer; Edward Hammond; Shailendra Giri; Susmita Mondal; Debarshi Roy; Attila Teoman; Sally A Mullany; Robert Hoffmann; Antonia von Bismarck; Jeremy Chien; Matthew S Block; Michael Millward; Darryn Bampton; Keith Dredge; Viji Shridhar Journal: Eur J Cancer Date: 2015-03-05 Impact factor: 9.162
Authors: Marc A Becker; Thahir Farzan; Sean C Harrington; James W Krempski; S John Weroha; Xiaonan Hou; Kimberly R Kalli; Tai W Wong; Paul Haluska Journal: Mol Cancer Ther Date: 2013-10-15 Impact factor: 6.261
Authors: Angeles Alvarez Secord; Kirsten Bell Burdett; Kouros Owzar; David Tritchler; Alexander B Sibley; Yingmiao Liu; Mark D Starr; J Chris Brady; Heather A Lankes; Herbert I Hurwitz; Robert S Mannel; Krishnansu S Tewari; David M O'Malley; Heidi Gray; Jamie N Bakkum-Gamez; Keiichi Fujiwara; Matthew Boente; Wei Deng; Robert A Burger; Michael J Birrer; Andrew B Nixon Journal: Clin Cancer Res Date: 2020-01-09 Impact factor: 12.531