Tumour angiogenesis in prostatic carcinoma with and without bone marrow metastasis: A morphometric study

Abstract

One hundred and one cases of clinical prostatic carcinoma (PCa), primary site, were analysed to define the interrelationship between tumour angiogenesis, histological grade, and bone marrow metastasis. Tumour angiogenesis was determined by the blood capillary density ratio (BCDR; a/b), defined as the ratio between the area of the blood capillaries (a) and the area of the tumour (b). The BCDR was evaluated by a colour image analysis system employing a computerized morphometrical method. A total of 43 cases of PCa with bone marrow metastasis (stage D2) and 58 cases of PCa without metastasis (stage B, C) were utilized. The prostatic carcinomas were classified into three groups (low, intermediate, and high) using Gleason's grading system. The BCDR of the primary PCa with bone marrow metastasis was similar in each of the three histologically graded scores. On the other hand, in the cases of PCa without metastasis, the BCDR of high score PCa was higher than those of the low and intermediate score PCa (U-test; P < 0.001). The BCDR of the high score PCa without metastasis was similar to that of the PCa with bone marrow metastasis. The BCDR may provide help in predicting tumour progression with regard to bone marrow metastasis of PCa with low and intermediate Gleason's scores.

Prognostic significance of angiogenesis in clinically localized prostate cancer (staining for Factor VIII-related antigen and CD34 Antigen)

“…14,28 Also MVC has been shown to be a predictor of metastasis of prostate cancer to lymph nodes 11,16 and bone marrow. 15 One recent study reported that the center of the neoplasm had higher angiogenic activity than adjacent benign tissue or the periphery of the tumour. 29 It has been suggested that other endothelial markers such as CD31 and CD34 are more sensitive than FVIII to identify microvessels.…”

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in prostatic tumours and its relationship to neuroendocrine cells

“…Increased MVD has been correlated with a higher incidence of metastasis and a worse prognosis in both breast (Weidner et al, 1992;Horak et al, 1992) and prostatic carcinoma (Vesalainen et al, 1994;Wakui et al, 1992). Two studies in prostate cancer, one in invasive carcinoma (Weidner et al, 1993) and the other in clinically localised disease (Hall et al, 1994), concluded that MVD had prognostic potential.…”

Microvessel density in unknown primary tumors

“…These samples were insufficient to count vessels in hot spots, a procedure regarded as essential for determining the angiogenic potential of tumors according to Weidner (1995). However, in other studies too, MVD was not assessed in hot spots, yet a correlation of MVD with the occurrence of metastases was found (Wakui et al, 1992;Brawer et al, 1994). Moreover, in our study this restriction applied both to UPT and to known primary patients.…”