Research VEGF
Genentech Biooncology

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Evidence of VEGF expression in prostate cancer

VEGF has been shown to be an important mediator of angiogenesis in prostate cancer1

Among the mechanisms of tumor growth in prostate cancer that are under investigation, VEGF and its role in tumor neovascularization continue to receive significant attention. Several angiogenesis factors including VEGF, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF) are expressed to a greater degree in malignant than in nonmalignant prostate tissue; among these, the VEGF ligand has been identified as the predominant regulator of angiogenesis.1

The importance of angiogenic activity in prostate cancer is highlighted by the correlation between tumor growth and microvessel density. Evidence of angiogenesis can be detected through an evaluation of microvessel density, which is higher in primary prostate cancer tissue than in adjacent nonmalignant hyperplastic tissue or normal prostate tissue.1

Another important consideration in the link between angiogenesis and tumor growth is the evident VEGF production of tumors themselves. Tumors can stimulate production of VEGF through several pathways via mechanisms including1:

  • Hypoxia within tumors
  • Steroid hormones (ie, estrogen and androgen)
  • Possibly mutated genes in tumors (ie, the von Hippel-Lindau gene)

Increased angiogenic activity correlates with high-grade primary tumors9

Just as microvessel density correlates with metastasis in breast and lung cancer, microvessel density may also correlate with metastasis in prostate cancer. In one study, Weidner and colleagues evaluated tumor specimens from 74 patients with invasive prostate cancer (29 with metastasis, 45 without). The specimens were stained for factor VIII-related antigen (F8-RA) to show microvessel densities. The investigators found that microvessel counts increased significantly with a greater histologic grade (P<0.0001).9

Metastatic prostate cancer correlates strongly with microvessel count9

Prostate cancer correlates strongly with microvessel count
Weidner et al demonstrated how the increase in incidence of metastatic prostate cancer correlated to an increase in microvessel count, reaching 100% for patients with invasive carcinomas having microvessel counts >100 per X 200 field.9
Reprinted from Am J Pathol 1993, 143:401-409 with permission from the American Society for Investigative Pathology.
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VEGF and pathologic angiogenesis

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