Significance of CD 105 expression for tumour angiogenesis and prognosis in endometrial carcinomas

• Published in: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica, 2003-11, Vol.111 (11), p.1011-1018
• Main Authors: SALVESEN, HELGA B., GULLUOGLU, MINE G., STEFANSSON, INGUNN, AKSLEN, LARS A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: angiogenesis; Antigens, CD; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Carcinoma, Endometrioid - blood supply; Carcinoma, Endometrioid - pathology; Carcinoma, Endometrioid - radiotherapy; CD105; Endoglin; Endometrial cancer; Endometrial Neoplasms - blood supply; Endometrial Neoplasms - pathology; Endometrial Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Factor-VIII; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Microcirculation - metabolism; Microcirculation - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Neovascularization, Pathologic - metabolism; Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology; Norway; Prognosis; Receptors, Cell Surface; Regression Analysis; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate; Tumors; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - analysis; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism
• ISSN: 0903-4641; 1600-0463
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2003.apm1111103.x

Angiogenesis is a key process in tumour growth and metastasis, and Factor‐VIII microvascular density has been found to influence prognosis among endometrial carcinoma patients. The CD105/endoglin antibody has been reported to preferentially bind to activated endothelial cells in tissues participating in angiogenesis, and we therefore wanted to compare the prognostic significance of CD105/endoglin to that of Factor‐VIII. In a population‐based endometrial carcinoma study with long (median 11.5 years) and complete patient follow‐up, mean intratumour microvascular density (MVD) assessed using CD105/endoglin was investigated and compared with previous data for MVD assessed using Factor‐VIII. MVD by CD105/endoglin was significantly correlated with MVD by Factor‐VIII (p=0.001). However, tumours within the two groups defined by the upper and lower quartiles for CD105/endoglin‐MVD were both significantly more often metastatic (FIGO‐stage III/IV; p=0.03), with high tumour cell proliferation by Ki67 (p=0.007) and with reduced survival (p=0.036) as compared with the intermediate groups. In Cox regression analysis, CD105/endoglin‐MVD showed independent prognostic influence when analysed together with patient age, FIGO stage, histologic subtype, histologic grade and Factor‐VIII‐MVD, while the latter lost its prognostic impact when CD105/endoglin was included. In the subgroup with high MVD, there was a tendency towards improved response to radiation therapy. In conclusion, CD105/endoglin‐MVD is significantly associated with FIGO stage, tumour proliferation and prognosis in endometrial carcinoma, indicating that this is a better angiogenic marker in these tumours.