Objectives: The aim of the work was to assess vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF-C and vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF-D expression in ovarian carcinomas.
Material and methods: Clinical records and preserved specimens from 80 patients with ovarian cacinoma who underwent treatment at Lower Silesia Centre of Oncology were examined consecutively.
Results: Most of analysed patients (n=53) had serous adenocarcinomas at III or IV FIGO stage. The median VEGF-C expression analysed semiquantitively using immunohistochemistry method was 3.84, and in 5% of cases expression of marker was not found. Also median VEGF-D expression was 3.71, and reactivity of this cytokine was not found in 16.25% of cases. There was strong correlation between expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Conversely, there was no significant correlation between VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression and clinicopathological features of ovarian carcinoma. Univariate analysis demonstrated that high expression of cytokines wasn't associated with worse survival rate.
Conclusion: This incresistence indicated that studies on angiogenesis in ovarian carcinomas should be continued.