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Microvessel density correlates with lymph node metastases and prognosis in hilar cholangiocarcinoma

  • Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract
  • Published:
Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Neovascularization was shown to be critically involved in the progression of multiple cancers, and treatment approaches targeting tumor-associated neovascularization provide convincing results in recent years in some tumor entities. However, little is known about the tumor-associated neovascularization in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The present study was conducted to analyze tumor-associated neovascularization in hilar cholangiocarcinoma and to determine its influence on tumor growth, metastasis, recurrence, and prognosis.

Methods

We analyzed tissue specimens of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (n = 60) by immunohistochemistry using the endothelial-specific antibody CD31 and subsequently quantified the microvessel density (MVD). The MVD was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and recurrence pattern of the tumors as well as survival of patients.

Results

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma revealed a high degree of vascularization, with a calculated mean MVD of 28.1 ± 14.5 vessels. Tumors with a high MVD had a significant higher incidence of lymph node involvement (P = 0.009) and local recurrence (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a high MVD was identified to be a significant overall survival disadvantage (3-year, 28% vs. 93%; 5-year, 8% vs. 78%; P < 0.001) as well as disease-free survival disadvantage (3-year, 7% vs. 88%, 5-year, 7% vs. 72%; P < 0.001), with MVD representing an independent prognostic factor for survival.

Conclusions

Neovascularization is associated with nodal spread as well as local recurrence and serves as an independent prognostic factor for survival after curative resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, tumor-associated neovascularization seems to be critically involved in the progression of this tumor entity. In addition, neovascularization may represent a potential target in he development of new therapeutic approaches in hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Armin Thelen, Christoph Benckert, Peter Neuhaus & Sven Jonas

  2. Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Arne Scholz, Maik Schröder & Bertram Wiedenmann

  3. Department of Pathology, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Wilko Weichert

Authors
  1. Armin Thelen
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  2. Arne Scholz
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  3. Christoph Benckert
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  4. Maik Schröder
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  5. Wilko Weichert
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  6. Bertram Wiedenmann
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  7. Peter Neuhaus
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  8. Sven Jonas
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Thelen, A., Scholz, A., Benckert, C. et al. Microvessel density correlates with lymph node metastases and prognosis in hilar cholangiocarcinoma. J Gastroenterol 43, 959–966 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-008-2255-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-008-2255-9

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