VEGF receptor subtypes may serve as novel prognostic factors and putative indicators for anti VEGF receptor treatment response in renal cell carcinoma cases.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Targeted therapies are novel treatment options for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Of the target molecules investigated, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEFGRs) were seldom evaluated. The current study investigated the prognostic significance of VEGFRs and IMP-3 as a potential prognostic markers. METHODS: Pathological material and clinical files of 100 patients with RCC were retrospectively evaluated. For each case, the clinical outcome and disease stage were assessed and resected materials were histologically reevaluated. VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3 and IMP-3 expression of tumor samples were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. These expressions were compared with prognosis and clinicopathological variables. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival (OS) was 80% in the whole cohort. Mean survival was 20.3±1.9 months in metastatic disease (95%CI16.4-24.2). Two-year OS was 20% and 5-year OS was zero in the metastatic group. Survival was significantly longer in VEGFR-2 expressing group than in the nonexpressing group (78.7±2.6 vs 63.9±6; 95%CI73.7-84 and 52.1-75.7, respectively; p=0.031). VEGFR-3 and IMP-3 expressions were not significantly correlated with survival. In the non-metastatic group mean OS was 82.6±2.1 months and 2- and 5-year OS were 96 and 88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Since VEGFRs were expressed on all histological subtypes and significantly correlated with survival, assessment of VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3 on tumor samples might serve as a putative prognostic factor in RCC cases. These expressions might identify a subset of patients that may benefit from antiangiogenic treatments targeting VEGFR receptors.