Abstract
To clarify the clinical significance of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in squamous cell carcinoma in the thoracic esophagus, particularly as a prognostic factor, we have investigated the correlation between VEGF expression in tumor cells and microvessel density (MVD), pathologic factors, and survival. A total of 92 specimens, each from a thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer patient who underwent transthoracic curative R0 esophagectomy between 1991 and 1994, were examined immunohistochemically using anti-human VEGF and anti-human von Willebrand factor antibodies. The incidence of VEGF expression in the tumor cells was relatively low, at 23.9% of all specimens. There was no significant correlation between VEGF expression and histopathologic factors. The MVD at the tumor margin in patients with VEGF-positive tumor cells was significantly greater than that in VEGF-negative cases (35.2 ± 8.9 vs. 22.7 ± 8.2). The survival rate for patients with VEGF expression was significantly lower than that of those without VEGF expression; the same situation was found in node-positive patients but not in node-negative patients. In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that VEGF expression was an independent prognostic factor in node-positive patients. VEGF may be implicated in the definition of the malignant phenotype of squamous cell esophageal cancer via tumor angiogenesis. Accordingly, VEGF expression in the tumor cells could be a useful prognostic factor for esophageal cancer, particularly in node-positive patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Electronic Publication
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ogata, Y., Fujita, H., Yamana, H. et al. Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as a Prognostic Factor in Node-positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Thoracic Esophagus: Long-term Follow-up Study. World J. Surg. 27, 584–589 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-003-6866-2
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-003-6866-2