Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression is increased in malignant salivary gland tumors

Author(s)

Fonseca, Felipe Paiva ^[1] ; Montanhana Basso, Marcos Paulo ^[1] ; Mariano, Fernanda Viviane ^[2] ; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo ^[3] ; Lopes, Marcio Ajudarte ^[1] ; Martins, Manoela Domingues ^[4] ; Carrinho Ayroza Rangel, Ana Lucia ^[5] ; Santos-Silva, Alan Roger ^[1] ; Vargas, Pablo Agustin ^{[6, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Dept Oral Diag, BR-13414903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Med Sci, BR-13414903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] AC Camargo Canc Ctr, Dept Otorhinolaringol & Head & Neck Surg, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Sch Dent, Dept Pathol, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[5] State Univ Western Parana, Sch Dent, Dept Pathol, Cascavel, Parana - Brazil

^[6] Univ Pretoria, Fac Hlth Sci, Sch Dent, Dept Oral Pathol & Oral Biol, ZA-0002 Pretoria - South Africa

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ANNALS OF DIAGNOSTIC PATHOLOGY; v. 19, n. 3, p. 169-174, JUN 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) consist of a heterogeneous group of lesions accounting for 3% to 10% of all head and neck neoplasms. Little is known about their angiogenic properties, and despite vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been previously studied in these lesions, further investigations are warranted to better determine its clinical and prognostic significance. In the current study, a total of 132 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded SGTs were organized in tissue microarray blocics and submitted to immunohistochemistfy against VEGF protein. Slides were scanned and immunoreactions analyzed using Pixelcount V9 algorithm (Aperio Technologies Inc Vista, CA, USA). Clinical and follow-up data were retrieved from patients' medical charts. Tumors included 50 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, 32 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 30 adenocarcinomas not otherwise specified, and 20 adenoid cystic carcinomas. A slight male preponderance was found (1.1:1.0), with a mean age of 47.5 years. Parotid gland was the most affected location. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression was found in the cytoplasm of all cases analyzed with variable intensity, proving to be overexpressed in malignant tumors if compared with pleomorphic adenoma. A significant correlation of VEGF reactivity was found only with age, showing no further significant associations. Age and presence of paresthesia were the only features that predicted a lower specific survival rate under univariate and multivariate analyses. Log-rank test evidenced VEGF high expression as a potential determinant of reduced survival, although a statistical significance could not be reached. Hence, considering VEGF overexpression in malignant tumors and its potential association with a lower survival rate, this protein might be associated with SGTs pathogenesis and aggressiveness. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/07519-9 - SEMAPHORINS AND NEUROPILINS IN SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS
• Grantee: Felipe Paiva Fonseca
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/17659-2 - Study of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in salivary gland tumors
• Grantee: Marcos Paulo Montanhana Basso
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 09/53839-2 - Creation of a Digital Pathology Laboratory using a histological slidescanner
• Grantee: Oslei Paes de Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 12/10781-7 - Analysis of the expression of cytokeratins, angiogenic and proliferative patterns, and DNA content of salivary gland tumors
• Grantee: Pablo Agustin Vargas
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants