Prevalence of VEGF-expressing tumors

Studies assessing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in lung cancer utilize a variety of assay techniques, and therefore prevalence rates may vary widely. In general, however, VEGF has been shown to be expressed in the majority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors.^1-3 One study that examined 88 patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung carcinomas found VEGF high expression in⁴

• 77% (68/88) of all non-small cell lung carcinomas
• 75% (36/48) of squamous cell carcinomas
• 73% (22/30) of adenocarcinomas
• 100% (10/10) of large-cell carcinomas

Interestingly, some NSCLC tumors appear to have a nonangiogenic phenotype. In one study, Passalidou et al reported that approximately 9% (9 of 113) of tumors showed no evidence of neovascularization. It has been hypothesized that such tumors, which fill up in alveoli, acquire their blood supply from adjacent alveolar septa.⁵

In general, however, NSCLC tumors express VEGF and are highly vascularized, and the intensity of vascularization has been shown to correlate with the probability of metastasis.⁶

References:

1.

Yuan A, Yu CJ, Chen WJ, et al. Int J Cancer (Pred Oncol). 2000;89:475-483.

2.

Imoto H, Osaki T, Taga S, et al. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1998;115:1007-1014.

3.

Koukourakis MI, Giatromanolaki A, Thorpe PE, et al. Cancer Res. 2000;60:3088-3095.

4.

Stefanou D, Batistatou A, Arkoumani E, et al. Histol Histopathol. 2004;19:37-42.

5.

Passalidou E, Trivella M, Singh N, et al. Br J Cancer. 2002;86:244-249.

6.

Macchiarini P, Fontanini G, Hardin MJ, et al. Lancet. 1992;340:145-146.