Does the degree of intratumoural microvessel density and VEGF expression have prognostic significance in osteosarcoma?
The role of angiogenesis as a prognostic indicator in cancer has been extensively studied in recent times with several studies demonstrating a positive correlation for various malignant tumours. However, the role of angiogenesis in osteosarcoma remains a topic of debate. In this study, we aim to evaluate the significance of intratumoural microvessel density (MVD) and the degree of vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) expression as markers of angiogenesis and correlate this with disease outcome. Archival paraffin-embedded pre-treatment biopsy tissue of patients treated at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, with non-metastatic osteosarcoma at initial diagnosis was reviewed. Tissue was processed for immunofluorescent staining of the microvascular endothelial cells with antibodies directed against CD31 and CD34. The degree of angiogenesis was assessed, as determined by the microvessel density (MVD). Further histological examination was performed to assess the degree of VEGF expression.
