Expression of placenta growth factor in colorectal carcinomas.

PURPOSE: Placenta growth factor (PlGF) is a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. PlGF is implicated in several pathologic processes, including the growth and spread of cancer and tumor angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression and the clinical implications of PlGF in colorectal cancer.

METHODS: In order to ascertain the clinical significance of PlGF expression in colorectal cancer, the researcher analyzed the expression pattern of PlGF by using an immunohistochemical method and attempted to establish if a relationship existed between PlGF expression and microvessel density (MVD), and subsequently between PlGF expression and the predicted prognosis. A total of 83 patients with colorectal cancer were included for immunohistochemical staining. Clinicopathological characteristics were defined according to the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) criteria of the Union for International Cancer Control. Clinicopathologic factors, such as age, sex, histological types of tumors, tumor cell grade, TNM stage, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph-node metastasis, were reviewed.

RESULTS: In this study, the PlGF protein expression level was significantly correlated with MVD, patient survival, and clinicopathological factors such as lymph-node metastasis, TNM staging, lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion.

CONCLUSION: PlGF may be an important angiogenic factor in human colorectal cancer, and in this study, PlGF expression level was significantly correlated with positive lymph-node metastases, tumor stage, and patient survival. These findings suggest that PlGF expression correlates with disease progression and may be used as a prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.