[Expression clinical significance of nm23-H1 and vessel endothelium growth factor protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prognostic predictor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: The expressions of nm23-H1 and vessel endothelium growth factor (VEGF) protein were examined by immunohistochemistry S-P staining in 108 NPC tissues, the expression of nm23-H1 and VEGF protein in NPC tissues with clinical stage of NPC, radiosensitivity of tumor, survival rate of patients, relapse and metastasis of carcinoma were studied. RESULTS: The positive rate of nm23-H1 and VEGF was 48.1% and 59.3% respectively. The clinical staging, metastatic potential of lymph nodes were correlated with low-level expression of nm23-H1 protein. The patients with negative nm23-H1 expression had worse prognosis than those with positive nm23-H1 expression. The clinical staging, metastatic potential and poor sensitivity of radiotherapy were correlated with high level expression of VEGF protein. The patients with positive VEGF expression had worse prognosis than those with negative VEGF expression. The expression of nm23-H1 protein was negatively correlated with the expression of VEGF protein (r = -0.577, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The low level expression of nm23-H1 protein and the high level expression of VEGF protein may be associated with the development and poor prognosis of NPC.