The Relationship Between GLUT-1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression and 18F-FDG Uptake in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer Patients

Abstract

To examine the relationship between glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and (18)F-FDG uptake in esophageal squamous cell cancer patients. Fifty-seven patients (52 male and 5 female) were included in this study. (18)F-FDG PET/CT was performed prior to the surgery. Immunohistochemistry was performed using postoperative histopathological specimens. The estimation of immunohistochemistry was conducted using scoring analysis. We investigated the correlations between maximum standardized uptake value (SUV(max)) and GLUT-1/VEGF expressions/pathologic tumor length (p-tumor length), and the relationships between pathologic T (p-T) stage and GLUT-1/VEGF expressions/SUV(max) and between lymph node metastasis (p-N) stage and GLUT-1/VEGF expressions/SUV(max). SUV(max) significantly correlated with GLUT-1 expressions and p-tumor length (GLUT-1: r = 0.475, P < 0.001; p-tumor length: r = 0.475, P < 0.001). SUV(max) of the primary tumor had a significant relationship with p-T stage, p-N stage, and VEGF expression (p-T stage: P < 0.001; p-N stage: P = 0.037; VEGF expression: P = 0.009). There was a statistically significant difference between GLUT-1 expression and p-T stage/VEGF expression, but not p-N stage (p-T stage: P = 0.012; VEGF expression: P = 0.01; p-N stage: P = 0.572). VEGF expression had a significant relationship with p-T stage, but not with p-N stage (p-T stage: P = 0.032; p-N stage: P = 0.763). (18)F-FDG uptake can be determined by GLUT-1 and VEGF. SUV(max) would have a connection with the tumor progression and lymph node metastasis.