TY - JOUR
T1 - Angiogenesis
T2 - A prognostic determinant in pancreatic cancer?
AU - Van Der Zee, Jill A.
AU - Van Eijck, Casper H.J.
AU - Hop, Wim C.J.
AU - Van Dekken, Herman
AU - Dicheva, Bilyana M.
AU - Seynhaeve, Ann L.B.
AU - Koning, Gerben A.
AU - Eggermont, Alexander M.M.
AU - Ten Hagen, Timo L.M.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - Angiogenesis has been associated with disease progression in many solid tumours, however the statement that tumours need angiogenesis to grow, invade and metastasise seems no longer applicable to all tumours or to all tumour subtypes. Prognostic studies in pancreatic cancer are conflicting. In fact, pancreatic cancer has been suggested an example of a tumour in which angiogenesis is less essential for tumour progression. The aim of the present study was therefore to measure angiogenesis in two anatomically closely related however prognostically different types of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic head and periampullary cancer, and investigate its relation with outcome. Vessels were stained by CD31 on original paraffin embedded tissue from 206 patients with microscopic radical resection (R0) of pancreatic head (n = 98) or periampullary cancer (n = 108). Angiogenesis was quantified by microvessel density (MVD) and measured by computerised image analysis of three randomly selected fields and investigated for associations with recurrence free survival (RFS), cancer specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS) and conventional prognostic factors. MVD was heterogeneous both between and within tumours. A higher MVD was observed in periampullary cancers compared with pancreatic head cancers (p <.01). Furthermore, MVD was associated with lymph node involvement in pancreatic head (p =.014), but not in periampullary cancer (p =.55). Interestingly, MVD was not associated with RFS, CSS or with OS. In conclusion, angiogenesis is higher in periampullary cancer and although associated with nodal involvement in pancreatic head cancer, pancreatic cancer prognosis seems indeed angiogenesis independent.
AB - Angiogenesis has been associated with disease progression in many solid tumours, however the statement that tumours need angiogenesis to grow, invade and metastasise seems no longer applicable to all tumours or to all tumour subtypes. Prognostic studies in pancreatic cancer are conflicting. In fact, pancreatic cancer has been suggested an example of a tumour in which angiogenesis is less essential for tumour progression. The aim of the present study was therefore to measure angiogenesis in two anatomically closely related however prognostically different types of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic head and periampullary cancer, and investigate its relation with outcome. Vessels were stained by CD31 on original paraffin embedded tissue from 206 patients with microscopic radical resection (R0) of pancreatic head (n = 98) or periampullary cancer (n = 108). Angiogenesis was quantified by microvessel density (MVD) and measured by computerised image analysis of three randomly selected fields and investigated for associations with recurrence free survival (RFS), cancer specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS) and conventional prognostic factors. MVD was heterogeneous both between and within tumours. A higher MVD was observed in periampullary cancers compared with pancreatic head cancers (p <.01). Furthermore, MVD was associated with lymph node involvement in pancreatic head (p =.014), but not in periampullary cancer (p =.55). Interestingly, MVD was not associated with RFS, CSS or with OS. In conclusion, angiogenesis is higher in periampullary cancer and although associated with nodal involvement in pancreatic head cancer, pancreatic cancer prognosis seems indeed angiogenesis independent.
KW - Angiogenesis
KW - CD31
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Microvessel density
KW - Pancreatic cancer
KW - Prognosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80755140086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejca.2011.08.016
DO - 10.1016/j.ejca.2011.08.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 21958461
AN - SCOPUS:80755140086
SN - 0959-8049
VL - 47
SP - 2576
EP - 2584
JO - European Journal of Cancer
JF - European Journal of Cancer
IS - 17
ER -