Expression And Clinical Significance Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, KDR And Ki67 In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective The purpose was to investigate the correlation among the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptor KDR(kinase insert domain cotaining receptor /fetal liver kinase-1) , Ki67 and the biological behaviors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Methods Fifty cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma confirmed by surgery and pathology were studied with the method of immunohistochemical analysis to determine the protein expression of VEGF, its receptor KDR and Ki67 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue. The statistic methods were Spearmans rank correlation and one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) after data type conversion for normal distribution.Results It was discovered that the main source of the VEGF production was the tumor cells themselves and the positive rates were11. 0%, 12. 0%, 35. 6%, 40. 1% for different clinical pathological stages IIa, IK, III, IV respectively.KDR was expressed in tumor cells and mesenchymal cells, glands, vascular endothelial cells as well. The expression decreased in the edge of tumor nest. The positive rates were12. 0%, 10. 4%, 25. 7%, 38. 9% for II a, II b, III, IV respectively. Ki67 was more expressed in the edge of tumor nest than in the center and posive in the lymphonodes. The positive rates were 15. 5%, 31. 1%, 46. 1%, 62. 2% for II a, IK, III, IV respectively. The Spearman s rank correlation between VEGF, KDR,Ki67 and clinical pathological staging were rs=0. 767, rs=0. 659, rs=0. 836 respectively(p<0. 001 respectively). The correlation between VEGF, KDR, Ki67 and differentiation degrees of the tumor were rs=-0. 335, rs=-0. 271, rs=-0. 359 respectively (p<0. 05 respectively). The correlation between VEGF , KDR , Ki67 and lymphonode metastases were rs=0. 663, rs=0. 572, rs=0. 781 respectively(p<0. 001 respectively). The positive rates of Ki67v VEGF, KDR in lymphonode-metastasis cases and non-metastasis cases were 45. 4%, 31. 89o, 25. 4% and 16. 4%, 11. 7%, 10. 9% respectively.The differences were both significant(p<0. 01). The expression of VEGF, KDR, Ki67 in esophageal cancer tissues had no relation to the location and lenth of the tumor. The expression of Ki67 and VEGF had no relation to clinical experiences while KDR had(p=0. 025). The expression of Ki67 and VEGF had relations to age (P=0. 043, P=0. 027 respectively), which may explain that the elder patients had little possibility of lymphotic metastasis and better prognosis in clinical practice.Conclusion The results indicate that K167, VEGF, KDR had relations to some biological behaviors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The expression of VEGF and KDR had a positive correlation to clinical pathological staging. The level of Ki67 protein may reflect the prolifetative state of tumor cells and increase the prognostic accuracy of tradi t ional grading method. Ki67, VEGF and KDR may also indicate whether a lymphotic metastasis occurred.