Abstract

A variety of malignant neoplasms have been shown to induce neovascularization, and in some cases the degree of vascularization appears to correlate with an aggressive behavior and risk of metastasis. We compared the degree of vascularization in 11 benign and 33 cancerous lesions of the cervix. The microvessels were identified by immunohistochemistry using antibody to Factor VIII-related antigen in 44 hystrectomy specimens. Three highly vascularized microscopic fields were selected and counted the number of microvessels in 400 magnification. The proportion of the endothelial cell area was also quantified by using the CAS 200 image analysis system. All 33 cases of carcinomas demonstrated a significantly higher microvessel count and an endothelial cell area than those of the benign lesions (p<0.01). There were no significant difference in microvessel count and endothelial cell area among carcinoma in situ, microinvasive carcinoma and invasive carcinoma (p>0.05). Microvessel count and an endothelial cell area in invasive cancers were not correlated with tumor size, depth of invasion, or histologic type (p>0.05).This study showed cervical cancer induces neovascularization in an early stage but it is difficult to predict prognosis and metastasis with microvessel count and an endothelial cell area.

• Keywords: Angiogenesis;Neovascularization;Uterine cervix;Squamous cell carcinoma;Morphometric quantitation