Intratumor microvessel density in gastric adenocarcinoma

Maida Kuljanin, Nermin Salkic, Elmir Cickusic

Abstract


ABSTRACT

Background. Gastric adenocarcinoma remains the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. The underlyaing mechanism in tumorigenesis and progression of gastric adenocarcinoma is still poorly understood. Investigation of the new prognostic and predictive factors such as tumor angiogenesis and intratumor microvessel density (IMD) would be of great value for gastric cancer patients.

Aim. The aim of this study was to demonstrate IMD in gastric adenocarcinoma and to analyze the correlation between IMD, tumor localization and histological grade of tumor.

Patients and methods. The study included archival tissue samples obtained during curative surgical resection from 90 patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma. Patient characteristics including sex, age, tumor localization, histological type and grade of tumor were obtained from pathological records. To evaluate tumor angiogenesis IMD was counted by immunohistochemicaly staining of endothelial cells by using anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody.

Results. The average age of patients was 62,35 years and ranged from 27 to 80 years with male to female ratio of approximately 1,65:1. The most analyzed samples (60,67%) were poorly differentiated tumors. Statisticaly significantly higher count (p=0,024) of micovessel was found in poorly differentiated tumors. Statisticaly significantly higher count (p=0,014) of microvessel was found in the proximal gastric adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion. Tumor angiogenesis activity, expressed by the IMD, is correlated with the histological grade of tumor, tumor localization, poorer prognosis and it is important prognostic factor in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Keywords. gastric adenocarcinoma, intratumor microvessel density, histological grade of tumor, proximal and distal gastric adenocarcinoma

 


Keywords


gastric adenocarcinoma,intratumor microvessel density,histological grade of tumor,proximal and distal gastric adenocarcinoma



DOI: 10.5457/ams.v41i2.299