Vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor to diagnose lymph node metastasis in patients with oral cancer

2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 16591977
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: YAMAZAKI Yutaka Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Instructor, 大学院・歯学研究科, 助手 (90250464)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OHIRO Youichi Hokkaido University, Hokkaido University Hospital, Instructor, 助手 (40301915)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2005
• Keywords: oral cancer / lymph node metastasis / VEGF / angiogenesis / lymphangiogenesis / serum

Research Abstract

Objective. To evaluate the clinical usefulness of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods. Preoperative serum values of VEGF family (VEGF-A,-C, and -D) and their receptor (sVEGF-R1,sVEGF-R2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 129 patients with fresh primary oral SCCs. The relationship among VEGF family, clinicopathological parameters, response to therapy and prognosis was investigated.
Results. Serum VEGF-A,-C, and -D levels were significantly higher in patients with OSCC than in the healthy control, but both sVEGF-R1 and sVFGF-R2 were not. On the basis of comparision to the 95% range of distribution of serum VEGF family titers in healthy control subjects, the positivity rates of VEGF-A,-C and -D were 41, 31, and 57%, respectively. The serum level of VEGF-A correlated significantly with sex, tumor size and Stage. VEGF-C concentration correlated significantly with distant metastasis, but not with lymph node metastasis. The VEGF-C positive group showed a significantly lower 5-year survival rate than the VEGF-C negative group (63.2% vs. 83.5%, p<0.05). The level of VEGF-D negative correlated with lymph node metastasis and mode of invasion. Moreover, we examined expression of VEGF-C,Flt-4,CD34,CD31 and D2-40 for 24 gingival cancers by immunohistochemistry. Both expressions of VEGF-C and Flt-4 did not correlated with lymph node metastasis. There was no relationship between immunohistochemical and serological methods.
Conclusion. The serum level of VEGF-C might have potential usefulness as biological marker of OSCC, but it is necessary to confirm relationship between immunohistochemical and serological methods by a larger scale study