Vascular endothelial growth factor in colonic cancer, ulcerative colitis and colonic adenoma: An immunohistochemical study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Colonic adenoma and ulcerative colitis (UC) are important precancerous lesions. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a well-known pro-angiogenic factor plays important role in physiologic and pathologic conditions and in neovascularization in cancer and hence becomes a potential target for anti-angiogenic cancer therapy. Aim: This study investigated VEGF immunohistochemical expression in colon cancer and its precancerous lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Paraffin blocks from two hospitals were collected in a year: Colon cancer: 20 cases, colonic adenoma: 15 cases, UC: 15 cases and 5 controls from normal mucosa. VEGF was assessed immunohistochemically using a primary anti-VEGF antibody (VG1, Dako, Denemark). Results: Median age was 49 years (range 31-52) in cancer, 40 years (range 31-52) in adenomas and 33 years (range 27-43) in UC. VEGF expression was negative in control, significantly strongly positive in 90% of colonic adenocarcinoma (p= 0.001), significantly positive in adenomas (p= 0.002) - the weak positivity significantly seen in mild dysplasia (p= 0.001) - and significantly positive in 73.3% of UC cases (p=0.022). Conclusion: The significant increase in positivity of VEGF in precancerous to cancerous lesions may point to its potential role in the pathogenesis and progression of colonic neoplasia.