Graphic analysis of microscopic tumor cell infiltration, proliferative potential, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in an autopsy brain with glioblastoma

BACKGROUND Growth of brain tumors requires tumor-cell attachment to adjacent structures, degradation of surrounding matrixes, migration of tumor cells, proliferation of vasculature, and tumor cell proliferation. Comparison of the findings on neuroimaging, degrees and patterns of tumor invasion, regional tumor cell viability detected by Ki-67 immunohistochemistry, and regional vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in whole-brain specimen of glioblastoma therefore is of great interest, and will facilitate study of the host reaction against the glioblastoma. METHODS We graphically analyzed microscopic tumor-cell infiltration, regional differences in Ki-67 labeling indices (LI), and immunohistochemical expression of VEGF in an autopsy brain with glioblastoma. RESULTS Glioblastoma cells infiltrated the brain far beyond the gross limits of the tumor and the areas with high signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. A wide range of histologic malignancy was apparent from hematoxylin-eosin staining and the Ki-67 labeling indices. VEGF was highly expressed in normal astrocytes located outside the tumor. CONCLUSION Graphic analysis of histologic and immunohistochemical patterns is a useful method of investigating the mechanisms of glioma growth, tumor cell infiltration in the brain, and the host reaction of the brain against neoplasms.