Abstract
The aim of our study was to gain further insight into the role of angiogenesis in
Ewing’s sarcoma. To this end, expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A),
its receptors VEGFR-1 and -2 and microvessel density (MVD) were evaluated by quantitative
immunohistochemistry in pretherapeutic biopsies of 40 patients with Ewing’s sarcoma
treated within standardised neoadjuvant protocols. Median expression levels were 1.5
arbitrary units (AU) for VEGF-A, 8.2 AU for VEGFR-2 and median MVD was 96/0.26 mm2. VEGFR-1 was expressed in 12.5% of the samples, only. Ten-year relapse free and overall
survival rates were significantly higher for patients with high VEGF-A expression
(60% versus 29%, p = 0.0216 and 65% versus 25%, p = 0.013, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that VEGF-A expression
was an independent prognostic factor for survival. In conclusion, these data suggest
that the angiogenic mediator VEGF plays an important prognostic role in Ewing’s sarcoma.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 13,
2006
Received in revised form:
January 9,
2006
Received:
November 9,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
