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Role of angiogenic factors: Coexpression of interleukin‐8 and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma
Author(s) -
Eisma Roselle J.,
Spiro Jeffrey D.,
Kreutzer Donald L.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-199905000-00002
Subject(s) - angiogenesis , vascular endothelial growth factor , immunohistochemistry , metastasis , medicine , head and neck cancer , radioimmunoassay , stage (stratigraphy) , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , carcinoma , pathology , cytokine , cancer , cancer research , endocrinology , vegf receptors , biology , paleontology
Objective/Hypothesis : Angiogenesis has been used as a prognostic indicator in a variety of cancers and is believed to be controlled by angiogenic factors, including the cytokines interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We hypothesized that the in vivo coexpression of both IL‐8 and VEGF in head and neck tumors contributes to perpetuating tumor growth and metastasis by enhancing angiogenesis. Methods : Immunohistochemical analysis for IL‐8 and VEGF was performed using specimens from 33 cancer patients and 6 control patients. We quantitatively evaluated levels of IL‐8 and VEGF in tumor tissue homogenates from those same patients using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay. Comprehensive histories of each patient were taken and later analyzed for clinical correlations with IL‐8 or VEGF levels. Results : IL‐8 and VEGF were found to be colocalized within the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCCA) tumor cells. In the head and neck tumor specimens, IL‐8 levels ([38,152 ± 1.8] × 10 5 pg/mg total protein [TP]) were 22‐fold greater than controls (1,721 ± 2,122 pg/mg TP). The tumor levels of VEGF (1,304 ± 6,037 pg/mg TP) were nearly fourfold higher than the controls (317 ± 400 pg/mg TP. Interleukin‐8 and VEGF levels were found to have a positive correlation ( P ⩽ .0001). Patients exhibiting high levels in picograms per milligram of TP and/or number of moles of IL‐8 and VEGF were found to clinically have more aggressive disease manifested by higher TNM stage, more recurrences, and shorter disease‐free intervals ( P ⩽ .03) Conclusions : Marked increase in HNSCCA of IL‐8 and VEGF underscores the importance of these angiogenic factors in this disease. Understanding the roles and interplay of angiogenic factors such as IL‐8 and VEGF may have value in the treatment of HNSCCA.