Relationships of uPA and VEGF Expression in Esophageal Cancer and Microvascular Density with Tumorous Invasion and Metastasis

Abstract

<br/><b>Objective</b>: To investigate uPA and VEGF expression in esophageal cancer and relations with tumorous invasionand metastasis. <br/><b>Methods</b>: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect uPA and VEGF expression in the normalepithelial tissue of esophageal mucosa and cancer tissue and detect CD34 labeled micrangium and analyze therelationships with clinical pathological features and tumor angiogenesis. <br/><b>Results</b>: Positive rates for uPA andVEGF protein expression were significantly greater in esophageal cancer than normal epithelial tissue (P < 0.05),the two being linked (P <0.05). In addition, uPA and VEGF protein expression of the high microvessel density(MVD) group was significantly lower than in the low MVD group (P < 0.05), with relation to clinical pathologicalstaging, differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: In esophageal cancer tissue, uPA andVEGF proteins are overexpressed and promote tumor angiogenesis, indicative of a poor prognosis.