Co-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and thymidine phosphorylase in endometrial cancer

Objective. To examine expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) together with microvessel count in endometrial cancer, and to investigate the relationship with clinicopathological and biological factors. Methods. VEGF expression, TP expression, the microvessel count (factor VIII-related antigen positive cells), bcl-2 expression, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index, and p53 expression were determined in 50 resected endometrial cancer specimens, using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between VEGF and TP expression and correlation between expression and microvessel count were also given attention. These 3 factors were analyzed with regard to clinicopathological factors, bcl-2 expression, PCNA index, and p53 expression. Results. Staining status of VEGF and TP was identical in 37 (74%) of 50 tumors, the correlation being statistically significant (p<0.01). Combined analysis of VEGF and TP status showed that tumors which were VEGF-positive and/or TP-positive had a significantly higher microvessel count than did tumors which were both VEGF-negative and TP-negative (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). TP expression correlated with bcl-2 expression, and VEGF expression inversely correlated with the PCNA index. Although clinical stage (p<0.01), PCNA index (p<0.01), and p53 expression (p<0.01) significantly correlated with disease-free survival, neither VEGF/TP expression nor microvessel count contributed to prognostic estimates. Conclusions. VEGF and TP may cooperatively promote angiogenesis in endometrial cancer, but these expressions may have limited additional prognostic value.