Study of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in salivary gland tumors

• Grant number: 12/17659-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Pablo Agustin Vargas
• Grantee: Marcos Paulo Montanhana Basso
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Salivary gland tumors are a highly heterogeneous group that accounts for 3 to 6% of all head and neck neoplasias, with an incidence ranging from 0.4 to 13.5 cases/100,000 individuals. Due to their clinic pathologic variability, the diagnosis of these tumors becomes a real challenge even for experiment pathologists, which avoid the identification of biomarkers with effective clinical relevance. Therefore, the study of biological markers related to angiogenic processes, such as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that function as a chemotactic molecule for endothelial cells, favoring the cellular survival and proliferation, both important features for angiogenic up-regulation, could favor a better understanding of their clinical behavior and prognostic determination. In the present study, using tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry techniques, and with the help of software and algorithms for digital analyses, the authors aim to characterize the immunoexpression pattern of VEGF in 367 cases of benign (200) and malignant (167) salivary gland tumors, correlating the results obtained with clinical variables, and, therefore, identify the role played by this factor in the benign and malignant salivary gland tumors behavior, emphasizing its importance for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant lesions and prognostic determination of patients affected by these neoplasias.(AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FONSECA, FELIPE PAIVA; MONTANHANA BASSO, MARCOS PAULO; MARIANO, FERNANDA VIVIANE; KOWALSKI, LUIZ PAULO; LOPES, MARCIO AJUDARTE; MARTINS, MANOELA DOMINGUES; CARRINHO AYROZA RANGEL, ANA LUCIA; SANTOS-SILVA, ALAN ROGER; VARGAS, PABLO AGUSTIN. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression is increased in malignant salivary gland tumors. ANNALS OF DIAGNOSTIC PATHOLOGY, v. 19, n. 3, p. 169-174, JUN 2015. (12/07519-9, 12/17659-2, 09/53839-2, 12/10781-7)