Correlation between the expression of VEGF and microvessel density and tumor proliferation in human glomus jugulare tumor

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density(MVD) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) in human glomus jugulare tumor (GJT), and to probe into the relationship between the expression of VEGF, MVD, PCNA and the tumor’s biological behavior. Methods Immunohistochemical techniques were used to detect the expression of VEGF, PCNA labelling index(PCNA LI) and MVD in 33 cases of human glomus jugulare tumor. Results (1) Positive staining for VEGF was found in 27 cases of glomus jugulare tumor(81.8%). VEGF immunoreactivity was mostly located to the cytoplasm of chief cells, and infrequently to the endothelial cells. (2) The MVD and PCNA LI in VEGF positive tumors were significantly higher than those in VEGF negative tumors (t=2.101, 2.406, P 0.05). (3) The expression of VEGF was significantly correlated with MVD, PCNA LI and tumor clinical growth rate(r=0.460, 0.659, 0.545, P 0.05). There was no correlation between tumor size and the expression of VEGF, MVD or PCNA LI. Conclusion The expression of VEGF in human glomus jugulare tumors has correlation with its MVD and PCNA LI, and VEGF may play an important role in tumor angiogenesis and proliferation through a paracrine or autocrine manner.