Odnos tumorske neoangiogeneze i vaskularnog endotelnog čimbenika rasta, te njihov značaj u bolesnika s neuroblastomom Relationship between tumor neoangiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor, and their significance as prognostic factors in patients with neuroblastoma

摘要

Background: Although angiogenesis correlates with advanced tumor stage and plays an important role in determining the tumor response to treatment in general, clinical data on the prediction significance in neuroblastoma angiogenesis are still insufficient. The aim of this research was to evaluate the significance of VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis in prognosis of neuroblastoma patients. Hypothesis and Objectives: VEGF-A expression and tumor vascularity are the prognostic risk factors in patients with neuroblastoma. High VEGF-A expression correlates with high tumor vascularity, and their relationship is essential for assessing the aggressiveness of tumor phenotype. The aim of this study was to determine the significance of vascular parameters and the expression of VEGF-A in survival prediction of neuroblastoma patients. Materials and Methods: VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis was determined by immunohistochemistry using anti-VEGF and anti-CD34 antibody in paraffin embedded primary tumor tissue from 56 neuroblastoma patients. VEGF expression was estimated using semiquantitative score. Tumor angiogenesis parameters were analyzed using computer measurements. Results: VEGF expression correlated with the stage and survival. Patients with high VEGF expression had worse survival, and all patients with low VEGF expression have survived. The morphometric values of the majority of vascular parameters were not associated with VEGF expression. Tumor vascularity was important for high-risk patients’ survival and poor vascularity was accompanied by short survival. Unfavorable outcome was also found in patients with high VEGF expression and poor tumor angiogenesis. Hematopoietic stem cells transplantation increased the survival of high-risk patients with high VEGF expression, and extensive tumor vascularity. Conclusions: VEGF score proved to be useful, and could be used in a routine diagnostic practice. This study confirmed the significance of VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis for the prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma. These factors should beud119udanalyzed in a joint context, because it provides the most valuable prognostic results. They could contribute to the assessment of high risk neuroblastoma patients, as well as assessing the indications for transplantation and the introduction of inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis.