The Prognostic Significance of Tumor Microvessel Density in Gastric Carcinoma

Lee, Jung Kyun; Moon, Hyung Bae

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship with other clinicopathologic factors and prognostic significance of tumor microvessel density in gastric carcinoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Eighty three cases of primary gastric carcinoma(stage 1b, II, and III) were analysed retrospectively who underwent curative gastrectomy at Wonkwang university hospital from July, 1987 to June, 1992. Tumor microvessels were stained by immunohistochemical method using anti-CD31 on paraffine embedded tissues, and were counted within 10x objective field(about 0.74 mm2) in the area of the most intense neovascularization.
RESULTS
The overall 5 year survival rate was 57.8%. Depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and stage were the prognostic factors(p < 0.05). Mean microvessel count(MVC) was 34.4+/-14.4(range 10~72). MVC was 36.6 in 56 cases of tumor diameter <6cm and 30.0 in 27 cases of diameter > or =6 cm(p=0.049), 33.3 in 45 cases of well differentiated type, 32.9 in 30 cases of poorly differentiated type, and 41.5 in 8 cases of signet ring cell type(p 0.042). But there was no significant difference of MVC between other parameters such as age, sex, tumor location, gross finding, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and stage. The 5 year survival rates of 47 cases of MVC < or = 34 and 36 cases of MVC >34 were 59.6% and 55.6% respectively(p>0.05). There was no significant difference between 5 year survival rates of MVC < or =34 group and >34 group adjusted for other parameters.
CONCLUSION
Tumor microvessl density may related with tumor size and histologic type, and have no significance in 5 year survival rates of gastric carcinoma.