Microvessel quantification and its possible relation with liver metastasis in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Several studies have proven the usefulness of microvessel quantification as a prognostic factor for patients with various malignant tumors. The aim of this paper was to clarify the relationship between microvessel density (MVD) as a parameter of tumor angiogenesis and liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. METHODS A total of 175 patients with advanced colorectal cancer were evaluated (58 with concurrent liver metastasis). Microvessel quantification was performed immunohistochemically, using monoclonal antibodies against endothelial protein Factor VIII‐related antigen (F8RA) and against endothelial surface marker CD34. Finally, the relationship between MVD and liver metastasis was analyzed. RESULTS A significant correlation was observed between MVD for F8RA and MVD for CD34 (n = 175, r = 0.9560, P = 0.0001). MVD in the tumors stained for F8RA ranged from 15.2 to 78.6 microvessels per × 200 field (mean 32.8 ± 11.7), while the tumors stained for CD34 varied between 21.6 and 118.8 microvessels per × 200 field (means 56.1 ± 20.5). A significantly higher MVD was observed in the tumors with liver metastatic disease compared with the tumors without liver metastasis (F8RA: mean 36.1 ± 11.3 vs. 31.2 ± 11.5, P = 0.0090; CD34: mean 64.4 ± 20.4 vs. 52.0 ± 19.4, P = 0.0010). CONCLUSIONS Microvessel quantification within a colorectal tumor using immunohistochemical staining methods has shown a significant correlation between MVD and liver metastasis. Tumors with a greater MVD may thus have a greater hematogenous metastatic propensity. Cancer 1996;77:1722‐8.