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Endoglin, VEGF, and its receptors in predicting metastases in endometrial carcinoma

  • Research Article
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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Preoperative evaluation of the risk for metastases in endometrial carcinoma is challenging. The growth of new vessels, angiogenesis, is important for tumor growth and purported to be involved in the metastatic process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of preoperative serum levels and immunohistochemical expression of angiogenic markers in predicting a metastasized disease. Preoperative sera from 98 consecutive women presenting with endometrial carcinoma were collected. Serum concentrations of VEGF, sFLT1, and CD105 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of CD105, VEGF, FLT1, and KDR. The results were correlated to the presence of metastases, presence of deep (≥50 %) myometrial invasion, and the histological grade of the tumor. Tumors with other than endometrioid histology were excluded. Of the 80 evaluable patients, 11 had a metastasized disease. The serum concentration of VEGF was higher in the group with metastases than in the group without metastases (median [range], 743 pg/mL [546–1,183 pg/mL] vs. 383 pg/mL [31–1,524 pg/mL], p < 0.001, respectively). In the multivariable analysis, the concentration of VEGF was the sole independent, albeit weak predictive factor for the presence of metastases (odds ratio, 1.004, 95 % confidence interval, 1.002–1.007; p = 0.001). The immunohistochemical expression of the markers was not associated with any of the clinicopathological features of the tumors. The results of the present study suggest that preoperative serum VEGF concentration correlates with the presence of metastases in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma.

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Acknowledgments

The study was financially supported by Competitive Research Funding of Tampere University Hospital (grants 9L062 and 9N035). The English language was checked and revised by Ms. Piia Mäenpää, MA (English).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, FI-33521, Tampere, Finland

    Sami K. Saarelainen, Synnöve Staff, Maarit H. Vuento & Johanna U. Mäenpää

  2. Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedical Technology, BioMediTech, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Synnöve Staff & Jorma Isola

  3. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Ltd., Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    Nina Peltonen & Terho Lehtimäki

  4. School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Terho Lehtimäki & Johanna U. Mäenpää

  5. Department of Pathology, Fimlab Ltd., Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    Paula M. Kujala

Authors
  1. Sami K. Saarelainen
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  2. Synnöve Staff
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  8. Johanna U. Mäenpää
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Correspondence to Sami K. Saarelainen.

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Saarelainen, S.K., Staff, S., Peltonen, N. et al. Endoglin, VEGF, and its receptors in predicting metastases in endometrial carcinoma. Tumor Biol. 35, 4651–4657 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-1609-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-1609-6

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