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Original Article
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J Korean Soc Coloproctol. 2008;24(5):337-344.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3393/jksc.2008.24.5.337
- Expression of Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1alpha and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Colon Cancer: Relationship to the Prognosis and Tumor Markers.
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Choi, Yoon Young , Cho, Hyun Deuk , Park, Dong Guk , Kim, Sung Young , Lee, Moon Soo , Kim, Chang Ho , Cho, Moo Sik , Baek, Moo Jun
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1Department of Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea. ssurge@sch.ac.kr
2Department of Pathology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
3Department of Surgery, Dan Kook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
- Abstract
- PURPOSE: Angiogenesis is one of the key steps in solid tumor growth and metastasis. We investigated the prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) expressions as markers of angiogenesis in colon cancer.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 78 patients with colon or rectal cancer who underwent a surgical resection at Soonchunhyang University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2001, and we evaluated the expression of VEGF and HIF-1alpha in archival tumor tissues by using immunohistochemistry. We recorded the clinical and the pathological characteristics of the patients and analyzed their survival outcomes.
RESULTS
Thirty-four (34) patients were male, and the mean age of all the patients was 66.7 years. HIF-1alpha and VEGF were positive in 56% (44 patients) and 53% (42 patients) of the tumors, respectively. HIF-1alpha expression was significantly associated with several pathological parameters, such as TNM stage (P=0.001), lymph node metastasis (P=0.001). HIF-1alpha expression was also associated with VEGF expression (P=0.032). The survival of patients with HIF-1alpha expression was worse than that of patients with no HIF-1alpha expression (P=0.036). However, VEGF expression was not associated with other pathological characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that, in cases of colorectal cancer, HIF-1alpha expression may be associated with expression of VEGF, progression of tumors, and poor prognosis.
Keywords :Colorectal cancer;HIF-1alpha;VEGF;Angiogenesis
