Microvessel density (Cluster of Differentiation-34 & Vascular Endothelial growth factor) in Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma: Clinical correlation.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The literature on microvessel density (MVD) signifying neoangiogenesis/tumour-activity in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is limited. Accordingly, this study evaluates and correlates MVD characteristics with clinical parameters/aggressiveness/recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-two paraffin blocks of JNA were studied histopathologically and MVD was assessed following immunohistochemistry using VEGF and CD34 as vascular markers. A clinical correlation of MVD was undertaken in 43 cases. RESULTS: MVD scores of VEGF and CD34 showed strong inter-correlation. The 'age', 'duration of disease' and 'haemoglobin%' were the only clinical parameters that revealed significance with MVD. Significantly higher MVD scores were appreciated in recurrent cases as well as some other clinical differences from upfront cases. CONCLUSION: This is the first study of MVD with CD34 and VEGF simultaneously depicting clinical correlation. The strong correlation, supports a prognostic role of MVD scores in JNA and this can be better established in a larger multicentre study involving comprehensive examination of tumour dimensions.