VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR AND COMPONENTS OF PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATION SYSTEMIN ENDOMETRIAL CANCER: CLINICO-MORPHOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS

The content of VEGF and some components of plasminogen activation system (uPA, PAI-1 and tPA) was determined by enzyme immunoassay methods in the tumors from 121 endometrial cancer patients and in 18 samples of endometrial hyperplasia. Concentrations of uPA and PAI-1 in cancer tissue were significantly higher than in endometrial hyperplasia. Statistically significant positive association was observed between uPA and VEGF, uPA and PAI-1, PAI-1 and VEGF concentrations, and negative correlation existed both between tPA and uPA, and between tPA and VEGF in endometrial cancer. Pronounced association with traditional prognostic factors was found for PAI-1 and VEGF: the concentrations of these proteins increased along with disease progression (FIGO stage, depth of myometrial invasion), dedifferentiation, and the loss of tumor hormone sensitivity. Higher uPA expression was associated only with the increase of myometrial invasion, and unfavorable histologic sub-types of endometrial carcinoma were characterized only by increased VEGF expression if compared to histologically favorable group. 4-years monitoring revealed that overall survival rate in patients with tumor VEGF concentration exceeding median level – 7,3 pg/mg protein is significantly higher than in those with lower tumor VEGF level (94% and 81% respectively); levels of expression of plasminogen activation system components did not significantly affect endometrial cancer patients’ survival rate.