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Immunohistochemical Demonstration of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Vestibular Schwannomas Correlates to Tumor Growth Rate
Author(s) -
CayéThomasen Per,
Baandrup Lone,
Jacobsen Grete Krag,
Thomsen Jens,
Stangerup SvenEric
Publication year - 2003
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 - 10.1097/00005537-200312000-00014
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , vestibular schwannomas , vascular endothelial growth factor , pathology , medicine , angiogenesis , growth factor , vestibular system , schwannoma , vegf receptors , radiology , receptor
Objective Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent mediators of angiogenesis, which is a mandatory process during tumor growth. The present objectives were to determine expression of VEGF in vestibular schwannomas by immunohistochemistry and to examine a possible correlation with symptom duration, tumor size, or growth rate. Study Design Retrospective patient file review; immunohistochemistry and light microscopy of vestibular schwannomas removed by surgery. Methods Vestibular schwannomas from 18 patients were immunolabelled using a polyclonal antibody against VEGF, followed by light microscopy and blinded semiquantitation of VEGF expression. Fifteen patients had a well‐defined tumor growth rate defined by repeated preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results All tumors showed expression of VEGF in the Schwann cell cytoplasm, with a more intense staining of the perinuclear region of some cells. The staining intensity varied from tumor to tumor, and semiquantitation revealed a significant correlation between VEGF expression and tumor growth rate, but not symptom duration or tumor size. Conclusion VEGF is expressed in vestibular schwannomas and the level of expression correlates positively with tumor growth rate, but not with tumor size and symptom duration. We conclude that VEGF seems to be a factor involved in the growth of vestibular schwannomas.