PURPOSE: We evaluated expression of angiogenic factors, tumor vessel density and recurrence in superficial bladder cancer by immunohistochemistry. METHODS: Fourty tumor specimens from bladder preserving operation and 11 normal epithelia were stained for factor VIII-related antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). Maximum vessel density (MVD) was counted in a 200x field in the highest vascularized area stained for factor VIII. Superimposing a 4 x 4 square ocular grid on the boundary between epithelium and interstitium, average vessel density (AVD) and vascular surface density (VSD) were calculated by dividing the vessel number in the grid and the intersection number of vessel walls on the lattice lines by the area of interstitium calculated from the number of the gird cross points, respectively. RESULTS: Positive rates of VEGF, bFGF and aFGF by immunohistochemistry were 50%, 23% and 43% in the superficial bladder cancer, respectively. The positive rate of VEGF staining was higher in G2-3 tumors than in G1 tumors. All normal epithelia, except one which was positive for aFGF, was negative for those three factors. T1 tumors had a higher MVD than that of Ta. AVD and VSD of the tumor were higher than those of normal epithelium, but negative correlation between the number of positive angiogenic factors and the vessel density was revealed. The recurrence group had a lower vessel density and a higher ratio of VSD/AVD than those of the non-recurrence group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the expression of VEGF, bFGF and aFGF was not reflected by the tumor angiogenesis, the angiogenesis is required topically at the invasive front of the superficial bladder cancer, and the tumor which had fewer and broader tumor vessels has a high tendency to recur.
PURPOSE: We evaluated expression of angiogenic factors, tumor vessel density and recurrence in superficial bladder cancer by immunohistochemistry. METHODS: Fourty tumor specimens from bladder preserving operation and 11 normal epithelia were stained for factor VIII-related antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). Maximum vessel density (MVD) was counted in a 200x field in the highest vascularized area stained for factor VIII. Superimposing a 4 x 4 square ocular grid on the boundary between epithelium and interstitium, average vessel density (AVD) and vascular surface density (VSD) were calculated by dividing the vessel number in the grid and the intersection number of vessel walls on the lattice lines by the area of interstitium calculated from the number of the gird cross points, respectively. RESULTS: Positive rates of VEGF, bFGF and aFGF by immunohistochemistry were 50%, 23% and 43% in the superficial bladder cancer, respectively. The positive rate of VEGF staining was higher in G2-3 tumors than in G1 tumors. All normal epithelia, except one which was positive for aFGF, was negative for those three factors. T1 tumors had a higher MVD than that of Ta. AVD and VSD of the tumor were higher than those of normal epithelium, but negative correlation between the number of positive angiogenic factors and the vessel density was revealed. The recurrence group had a lower vessel density and a higher ratio of VSD/AVD than those of the non-recurrence group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the expression of VEGF, bFGF and aFGF was not reflected by the tumor angiogenesis, the angiogenesis is required topically at the invasive front of the superficial bladder cancer, and the tumor which had fewer and broader tumor vessels has a high tendency to recur.
Authors: N E Stavropoulos; C Bouropoulos; I E Ioachim; M Michael; K Hastazeris; I Tsimaris; D Kalogeras; Z Liamis; S Stefanaki; N I Agnantis Journal: Int Urol Nephrol Date: 2004 Impact factor: 2.370