The Impact of Tumor Angiogenesis on Pelvic Node Metastasis in Cervical Cancer

Shin, H Y; Cha, S D; Lee, T S

Abstract

To investigate the correlation between tumor angiogenetic activity and lymph node metastasis in cervical carcinoma, immunohistochemical staining with antifactor VIII related antigen (F-VIII RAg) antibody was used. Seventy-one specimens resected from the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were analyzed by staining with a monoclonal antibody against Factor VIII-related antigen. Correlations among the microvessel count(the mean number of microvessels in three areas of highest vascular density at 200 times magnification), various clinicopathologic factors, and disease free survivial rates were studied. The microvessel count (MVC) (range 6.3~29.7, mean=14.6+/-4.8) were higher in the advanced stages. MVC had no correlation with the other clinicopathologic factors, i.e. lymph node status, invasion depth, lymphovascular space invasion, cell type, and histologic grade. There was statistically significant correlations between the disease free survival rates and lymph node status. However, there was no significant correlations in disease free survival rates with microvessel count. These results showed that microvessel count, may not be related to lymph node status and prognosis of the disease.