Immunohistochemical study on vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma

ObjectiveTo evaluate the roles of vascula r endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in the formation of microvessel, and the rel atio nship between VEGF and angiogennesis or metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma(H CC) MethodsThe cellular distributions of VEGF expression in t umors of 36 patients with HCC were investigated by immunohistochemistry and the levels of VEGF of liver cancerous,paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues wer e detected by ELISA.ResultsThe incidence of VEGF was 63 9% in HCC specimens.The expression of VEGF was significantly elevated as comp ared with tissues of capsule integrated and non-encapsuled.The level of VEGF in metastasis tissues was significantly higher than those of non-metastasis tissu es( P 0 01),but no significant difference was found in tumor diameter and polarized degree.However,the expression level of VEGF in HCC tissues was signifi cantly higher than that of paracancerous or distal cancerous ones( P 0 01) ConclusionThe present datas suggest that the expression of V EGF was in high level in HCC,VEGF may play an important role in the tumor angiog ennesis,development and metastasis of HCC.The overexpression of VEGF in HCC tiss ues is a useful marker for vascular invasion and metastasis of liver tumors.