Particularities of lung tumour angiogenesis and stroma formation in inhabitants from radionuclide-contaminated territories at Semipalatinsk region, Kazakhstan

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate particularities of angiogenesis and stroma formation in various histological types of lung carcinoma in inhabitants from radionuclide-contaminated territories at Semipalatinsk region, Kazakhstan. We used operational and biopsy material from 87 lung carcinoma patients. Of them, 33 patients (the 1st group) lived in the neighbourhood of Semipalatinsk testing area from their childhood to 2002 and were exposed to radiation for a long time (the mean year radiation dose exceeded 0.1 rem). Operational and biopsy material from 54 patients living at Kazakhstan territories with normal radiation level (14 patients) or in Moscow (40 patients) were as controls (the 2nd group). Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect ММР-1, ММР-2, ММР-9, TIMP-1, VEGF, CD34, chromogranin, and CD68. Expression of ММР-1, ММР-2, ММР-9 in tumour cells was enhanced in the 1st group compared to the controls. Angiogenesis in tumour stroma of Semipalatinsk patients was more significant compared to the controls with regard to VEGF expression and density of newly formed vessels. We proposed that the mentioned above factors could provide poor prognosis of lung carcinoma in inhabitants of radionuclide-contaminated territories.