Endoglin (CD105) and vascular endothelial growth factor as prognostic markers in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Endoglin (CD105) has been shown to be a more useful marker to identify proliferating endothelium involved in tumor angiogenesis than panendothelial markers such as CD31. We investigated endoglin and vascular endothelial growth factor expression as possible prognostic markers in colorectal cancer. Surgical specimens from 150 patients with resected colorectal carcinomas were immunostained for endoglin, CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Colorectal carcinoma cases consisted of 50 cases without lymph node metastases, 50 cases with only lymph node metastases and 50 cases with liver metastases (38 cases also had positive lymph nodes). Positively stained microvessels were counted in densely vascular foci (hot spots) at  400 fields in each specimen. For vascular endothelial growth factor, intensity of staining was scored on a three-tiered scale. Results were correlated with other prognostic parameters. Endoglin demonstrated significantly more proliferating neoplastic microvessels than CD31 (31710 vs 1978/0.15 mm 2 field, Po0.001). Low vascular endothelial growth factor expression within tumor cells was seen in 49 (33%) and high expression in 101 cases (67%). There was a positive correlation of endoglin, CD31 counts and vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression with the presence of angiolymphatic invasion and lymph node metastases (Po0.05). Only endoglin counts correlated significantly with liver metastases and positive vascular pedicle lymph nodes (Po0.05), while vascular endothelial growth factor showed significant correlation with the depth of invasion (Po0.01). Endoglin, by staining higher numbers of the proliferating vessels in colon carcinoma, is a more specific and sensitive marker for tumor angiogenesis than the commonly used panendothelial markers. Endoglin staining also showed prognostic significance with positive correlation with angiolymphatic invasion and metastases to lymph nodes and liver.

Morphology of angiogenesis in human cancer: a conceptual overview, histoprognostic perspective and significance of neoangiogenesis

“…Endoglin, by staining higher numbers of the proliferating vessels in colonic carcinoma, is a more specific and sensitive marker for tumour angiogenesis than the commonly used panendothelial markers. Endoglin staining also showed prognostic significance and positive correlation with angiolymphatic invasion and metastases to lymph nodes and liver 71 …”

CD105/Ki67 Coexpression Correlates With Tumor Progression and Poor Prognosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

“…In 2004, Saad et al 22 showed that CD105 is expressed with high sensitivity intratumoral and peritumoral, but that blood vessels from nonneoplastic tissues do not express or present a weak expression of CD105, suggesting that CD105 is expressed preferentially in the vessels involved in neoangiogenesis. Most studies about the involvement of CD105 in cancer have focused on its role as a proangiogenic molecule and its usefulness as a marker of microvessel density in tumors.…”

Tumor angiogenesis in keratocystic odontogenic tumor assessed by using CD-105 antigen

“…Angiogenesis is one of the best known stromal factors participating in tumor progression and has been extensively investigated in various lesions (19–22). CD105 antibody has shown a greater specificity for the tumor vasculature than pan‐endothelial markers such as CD31, CD34 and Factor VIII (42). Assessment of angiogenesis immunohistochemically by using CD105 antibody emerged as a potential predictor of prognosis for several solid malignancies (43).…”