Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009:2009:679830.
doi: 10.1155/2009/679830. Epub 2009 Nov 4.

Prognostic value of microvascular density in dukes a and B (t1-t4, n0, m0) colorectal carcinomas

Rafael Uribarrena A  1 , Javier Ortego, Javier Fuentes, Nuria Raventós, Pilar Parra, Rafael Uribarrena E
Affiliations

Prognostic value of microvascular density in dukes a and B (t1-t4, n0, m0) colorectal carcinomas

Rafael Uribarrena A et al. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2009.

Abstract

Background: Aproximatelly 30% of patients operated on for colorectal cancer (CRC), with an expectedly favourable prognosis (Dukes A-B/T1-T4, N0, M0) suffer recurrence and/or die.

Method: In order to determine if tumor microvascular density (MVD) is a prognostic factor in CRC, samples from tumors of 104 Dukes A-B CRC patients were retrospectively studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed for anti-CD34 antibody to visualize tumor vascularisation. MVD was expressed as the total number of vessels and as the percentage of microvascular area. We calculated MVD with a morphometry program and performed descriptive, bivariate, and survival statistics.

Results: The mean number of vessels was 37.37/200x field, and the mean vascular area was the 3.972%. 30% of the patients with < 37 vessels/field, and 21% of the patients with > 37 vessels/field, experienced recurrence/death. The 35% of patients with < 4% of vascular area died following recurrence, compared with 14% of patients with > or =4% of vascular area. These differences in % of vascular area were statistically significant.

Conclusion: MVD expressed as the total number of vessels had no a statistically significant influence on the evolution of CRC. However, neoplasias with a greater % of vascular were associated to a better outcome.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Low microvascular density foci.
Figure 2
Figure 2
High microvascular density foci.
Figure 3
Figure 3
High MVD in superficial ulcerated area.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Automatic vessel counting with ContImUZ 1.0 morphometry program the whole process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Fielding P. Staging systems. In: Cohen A, Vimawer S, editors. Cancer of the Colon, Rectum, and Anus. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill; 1995. p. 207.
    1. Itzkowitz SH. Cancer gastrointestinal: cancer de colon y recto. In: Wilcox CM, editor. Digestive Diseases Self Education Program. Barcelona, Spain: Medical Trends; 2001. p. 25.
    1. Hermanek P. pTNM and residual tumor classifications: problems of assesment and prognostic significance. The World Journal of Surgery. 1995;19:180–190. - PubMed
    1. Bilchik AJ, Saha S, Wiese D, et al. Molecular staging of early colon cancer on the basis of sentinel node analysis: a multicenter phase II trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2001;19(4):1128–1136. - PubMed
    1. Ovaska J, Järvinen H, Kujari H, et al. Follow-up of patients operated on for colorectal carcinoma. American Journal of Surgery. 1990;159(6):593–596. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources