The expression and significance of vascular endothelial growth factor in gastric adenocarcinoma and chronic atrophic gastritis with low grade intraepithelial neoplasia

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastric adenocarcinoma, normal gastric mucosa and chronic atrophic gastritis with low grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Methods Immunohistochemical streptavid-in-peroxidase (SP) method was used to detect the expression levels of VEGF in 65 cases of gastric cancer tissues, 50 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis with low grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and 35 cases of normal gastric mucosa (GM). The clinical data were reviewed in 65 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Results VEGF overexpression was seen in 2 cases of GM (2/35, 5.7%), 18 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis with low grade intraepithelial neoplasia (18/50, 36.0%), and 36 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma (36/65, 55.4%). Overexpression rate of VEGF in chronic atrophic gastritis with low grade intraepithelial neoplasia and gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in the normal GM (P=0.001). Conclusion VEGF protein may play a certain role in the progression of gastric adenocarcinoma. It may also have significantly positive association with the oncegenesis and prognosis of the gastric cancer. Key words: Normal gastric mucosa; Gastric carcinoma; Vascular endothelial growth factor