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.
Keywords:
uPA, PAI-1, tPA, VEGF, endometrial cancer, prognosis