PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - V. Karavasilis
AU  - V. Malamou-Mitsi
AU  - E. Briasoulis
AU  - E. Tsanou
AU  - E. Kitsou
AU  - N. Pavlidis
TI  - Clinicopathologic study of vascular endothelial growth factor, thrombospondin-1, and microvessel density assessed by CD34 in patients with stage III ovarian carcinoma
AID  - 10.1136/ijgc-00009577-200602001-00039
DP  - 2006 Jan 01
TA  - International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer
PG  - 241--246
VI  - 16
IP  - Suppl 1
4099  - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/16/Suppl_1/241.short
4100  - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/16/Suppl_1/241.full
SO  - Int J Gynecol Cancer2006 Jan 01; 16
AB  - The aim of the study was to investigate angiogenesis in patients with advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma. We used paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from 33 patients diagnosed with FIGO III ovarian cancer who had optimal surgery and received platinum-based chemotherapy. The tissue expression of CD34, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) was assessed immunohistochemically. CD34 stained hot spot areas were used to evaluate tumor microvessel density (MVD). VEGF and TSP-1 were assessed by semiquantitative methods. The studied molecules were investigated for relationship with standard clinicopathologic parameters. MVD count was high: median value of 39, range 12–143 microvessels/mm2. VEGF was present in all cases and stained strong in 91%. Stroma staining for TSP-1 was weak in 79% of the cases, strong in 6%, and absent in five (15%). We did not find correlations between the three studied markers and histologic type or tumor grade. MVD score did not relate to VEGF or TSP-1. We only observed a trend toward a longer survival in patients with tumors expressing high TSP-1 (60 vs. 36 months, P= 0.1). Proangiogenetic factor VEGF is highly expressed in advanced-stage ovarian carcinomas. The findings of this study may offer support for considering VEGF-targeted therapeutics in ovarian cancer treatment research.