Microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor expression (VEGF) in human oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Carcinogenesis is thought to be dependent on neovascularization. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a glycoprotein that has the capability of increasing vascular proliferation and permeability. VEGF has been found to be expressed in several different types of tumours and it may contribute to the progression of malignant tumours. Increased microvessel density (MVD) has been described in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and seems to be related to patient prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two cases of OSCC were evaluated in the present study. Immunostaining for VEGF and Factor-VIII was performed. The MVD was evaluated in G1, G2 and G3 tumours. RESULTS: The differences between these 3 groups were statistically significant (p = 0.0331). MVD was also evaluated in lymph-node negative and lymph-node positive cases: the differences between these two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). VEGF expression was evaluated in G1, G2 and G3 tumours. The differences between the 3 groups were not statistically significant (p = 0.289), even if an increasing trend in the VEGF positivity was evident from G1 to G3. The difference of VEGF expression between tumours with and without lymph node metastases was not significant (p = 0.196). No correlation was present between intensity of VEGF positivity and histological grading or lymph-node status and between VEGF and MVD. CONCLUSION: Our data showed that MVD was correlated with grading and lymph-node status, while no similar correlation was found for VEGF.