Relationship between tumor angiogenesis and invasion, metastasis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the relationship between the tumor angiogenesis and the clinicopathological variables of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and determine whether tumor angiogenesis can be used as an indicator for predicting invasion, metastasis and prognosis of HCC. Methods Using the immunohistochemical S P method, CD34 expression was detected in liver tissue from 20 normal individuals, 20 patients with liver cirrhosis and 85 patients with HCC and juxtacancerous tissues and the microvascular density (MVD) determined in those from 85 patients with HCC. Results CD34 was mainly located in the cell cytoplasm of endothelial cells. The CD34 staining was confined to vessels in the portal triad in the above mentioned various tissues. In HCC tissues, however, sinusoid like vessels reacted intensively with anti CD34 and the MVD was 156.5±62.4 (per 0 74 mm 2). MVD was correlated to tumor size, number, differentiation, emboli in the portal vein and capsule (P0 05 or 0.01) but not to HBsAg and AFP (P0.05). It was also correlated with prognosis of HCC. The mean tumor free survival of MVD ≥156 was 14 months while that of MVD 156 was 53 months (P0.01). Conclusion The expression of CD34 in sinusoid like vessels in HCC tissues represents the neovascularization. Angiogenesis in HCC is associated with the progression of HCC. MVD can be used as an indicator to judge the invasion, metastasis and prognosis of HCC.