胃癌患者VEGF和Endostatin的表达及其与临床病理特征的关系

目的探讨胃癌患者手术前后血清血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）和Endostatin的动态变化规律及其与临床病理特征的关系。方法采用ELISA法检测胃癌患者（胃癌组）术前及术后2周血清VEGF和Endostatin水平,并与慢性胃炎患者（胃炎组）和健康对照者（对照组）进行比较。结果①胃癌组术前血清VEGF、Endostatin水平均显著高于胃炎组及对照组（P均〈0．01）。②胃癌组术前血清VEGF、Endostatin水平与细胞分化程度、肿瘤大小、浸润深度、淋巴结转移、远处转移及临床分期密切相关（P均〈0．05）,与性别、肿瘤部位等因素无关（P〉0．05）。③胃癌组术后2周血清VEGF水平较术前显著下降,而血清Endostatin水平较术前升高（P均〈0．01）。结论血清VEGF和Endostatin水平是评价胃癌恶性行为、预测浸润和转移程度的有效指标。     

结直肠癌患者血清中血管内皮生长因子和一氧化氮表达水平及其临床意义

目的:探讨结直肠癌患者血清中血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)和一氧化氮(NO)表达水平及其临床意义.方法:分别采用酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)法和分光光度法检测74例结直肠癌患者术前和45例结直肠腺瘤患者以及40例健康人血清中VEGF和NO的含量.结果:结直肠腺瘤患者血清VEGF和NO含量与健康人无明显差异(P＞0.05);结直肠癌患者血清VEGF和NO表达水平分别较结直肠腺瘤组以及健康人明显增高(P＜0.01),且结直肠癌浸润深度、有无淋巴结转移以及Dukes分期与血清VEGF和NO含量呈明显正相关(r=0.834,P＜0.01).结论:VEGF和NO与结直肠癌的发生发展密切相关,术前检测血清VEGF和NO含量可作为判断结直肠癌浸润转移以及Dukes分期的有效生物学指标.     

Correlation between serum levels of interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor in gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are associated with the disease status of gastric carcinoma. However, their relationship remains unclear. This study aims to determine and correlate serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 107 patients receiving gastrectomy entered this study. Serum levels of VEGF and IL-6 were measured by using ELISA, and were analyzed by using the Student's t-test to compare means and by Pearson correlation analysis to calculate correlation coefficients with respect to pathological characteristics including depth of tumor invasion, Laurén's classification, tumor location, Borrmann classification, and the status of lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in patients with mixed type carcinoma (387.5 +/- 176.9 vs 255.3 +/- 154.1 pg/mL, P = 0.047) or lymph node metastasis (339.1 +/- 205.1 vs 223.2 +/- 197.4 pg/mL, P = 0.007). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with Borrmann type IV carcinoma, compared with Borrmann type II and III carcinoma. In general, no correlation was noted between serum VEGF levels and IL-6 levels (r = 0.142, P = 0.145), but significant correlation was found in patients with early gastric carcinoma (r = 0.627, P = 0.004) or mixed type carcinoma (r = 0.804, P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the correlation between serum VEGF and IL-6 levels in distinct subsets of gastric carcinoma patients, and indicates that IL-6 may play a role for the angiogenesis of gastric carcinoma via modulation of VEGF.     

Clinical significance of plasma D-dimer levels and serum VEGF levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Angiogenesis and coagulation system activation are associated with tumor growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported to play a major role in tumor angiogenesis. The elevation of plasma D-dimer level indicates the activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis. The purpose of this study was to: (a) evaluate the correlation between serum VEGF and plasma D-dimer level; (b) analyze the clinical features that might affect the VEGF and D-dimer levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: Twenty patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were included prior to treatment. Serum VEGF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma D-dimer levels were measured by quantitative latex microparticle enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay. RESULTS: The presence of a high plasma D-dimer level was found to be correlated with the presence of central necrosis, higher Child's grade, advanced TNM stage, and the presence of portal vein thrombosis when plasma D-dimer levels were compared between different clinicopathologic groups. Tumors larger than 2 cm in diameter had higher median serum VEGF levels than tumors less than 2cm in diameter. No correlation was found between plasma D-dimer level and serum VEGF level in hepatocellular carcinoma patients (r=0.126, p=0.598). CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was found between the plasma D-dimer level and the serum VEGF level in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The plasma D-dimer level appeared to reflect the tumor stage and vascular invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma. Serum VEGF level in hepatocellular carcinoma patients showed a positive correlation with tumor size.     

大肠癌患者血清中血管内皮生长因子和一氧化氮的检测及其临床意义

目的　研究大肠癌患者血清中血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)和一氧化氮 (NO)表达水平 ,探讨其在大肠癌中的临床意义。方法　分别采用酶联免疫吸附测定 (ELISA )法和分光光度法检测 5 9例大肠癌患者术前血清中VEGF和NO水平 ,并与 3 0例健康人对照。结果　大肠癌患者血清VEGF和NO表达水平均较健康人明显增高 (P <0 .0 1) ,且随着大肠癌浸润深度增加、有淋巴结转移以及Dukes分期愈晚者而显著增高 (P <0 .0 1)。血清VEGF与NO含量呈明显正相关 (r =0 .817,P <0 .0 1)。结论　VEGF和NO与大肠癌浸润和转移有关 ,术前检测VEGF和NO表达水平有可能作为反映大肠癌恶性进程的重要参考指标     

Clinical significance of changes in tumor markers, extracellular matrix, MMP-9 and VEGF in patients with gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of some serum tumor marker level, extracellular matrix (ECM), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The serum tumor markers included CEA, CA50 and CA19-9, ECM included laminin (LN), hyaluronic acid (HA), and collagen type III and IV were measured in 40 patients with gastric carcinoma and 20 matched healthy controls by radioimmunoassay. MMP-9, VEGF and MVD were measured with immunohistochemical methods and the computer image analyzer. Microvascular density (MVD) in tissues of patients with gastric carcinoma was detected. RESULTS: The levels of CEA, CA50, CA19-9, HA, LN and collagen type IV in the patients with metastasis were significantly higher than those in the patients without metastasis (p < 0.05). The expression of MMP-9 and collage type IV in the patients with metastasis and poorly differentiated carcinomas were significantly higher than those in the patients without metastasis whose tumors were well/moderately differentiated (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CEA, CA50, CA19-9, HA, LN and collagen type IV levels can be used as a signal of metastasis and disease progression in patients with gastric carcinoma. When a gastric carcinoma expresses a high level of MMP-9 and VEGF with high MVD, the power of infiltration and metastasis of the gastric carcinoma is enhanced.     

Characteristics of early colorectal carcinoma with lymph node metastatic disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic resection may safely and effectively remove early colorectal cancers. However, additional surgical treatment is needed in cases with metastatic lymph nodes for curative treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between lymph node metastasis and various pathological parameters in early colorectal cancers. METHODOLOGY: The clinicopathological records of 3,557 colorectal adenocarcinoma patients who underwent surgical resection at the Samsung Medical Center from August 1995 to June 2005 were reviewed. One hundred forty seven tissue samples with early colorectal cancer were used in this study. Various parameters were studied including gender, location, macroscopic appearance, differentiation, lymphatic tumor emboli, and the depth of tumor invasion. RESULTS: Twenty five patients (17.0%) had lymph node metastasis. Male gender, left colon, macroscopically depressed lesions, moderately or poorly differentiated carcinoma, depth of tumor invasion (Sm2 or Sm3), and presence of lymphatic tumor emboli were the risk factors for lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Early colorectal cancers with male gender, location in the left colon, macroscopically depressed lesion, moderate or poor differentiation, depth in Sm2 or Sm3, and the presence of lymphatic tumor emboli have higher risk of lymph node metastasis than those without. The early colorectal cancers with these risk factors should have surgical resection.     

血管内皮生长因子与血小板衍化内皮细胞生长因子在老年人胃癌组织中的表达

目的　探讨老年人胃癌术前活检标本血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)和血小板衍化内皮细胞生长因子 (PD ECGF)的表达及其与老年胃癌患者预后的关系。　方法　采用免疫组化法检测 92例老年胃癌VEGF、PD ECGF表达情况 ,并分析它们与胃癌临床病理特征关系及对预后的影响。　结果　VEGF、PD ECGF在胃癌组织的表达明显高于慢性萎缩性胃炎 ,进展期癌的表达又高于早期癌(P <0 0 1) ,VEGF、PD ECGF表达呈显著正相关 (相关系数R =0 4 0 5 4 )。VEGF、PD ECGF的阳性表达随着肿瘤大小、浸润深度、TNM分期的递增而呈上调表达 ,有淋巴结转移、血管癌栓的患者表达也明显高于无淋巴结转移、血管癌栓者 (P <0 0 1)。VEGF、PD ECGF阳性表达者总体生存率明显低于VEGF、PD ECGF阴性表达者 (P <0 0 1) ,VEGF、PD ECGF共同表达者生存率更低 (P <0 0 1)。多因素分析表明 ,淋巴结转移、TNM分期、VEGF的表达是老年人胃癌独立的预后因素。　结论　VEGF与PD ECGF表达呈正相关 ,均与胃癌生长、浸润转移关系密切 ,可作为估计老年人胃癌预后的重要因素。     

Correlation of integrin β3 mRNA and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression profiles with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric carcinoma

AIM: To investigate integrin 133 mRNA and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression in gastric carcinoma, and its correlation with microvascular density, growth-pattern, invasion, metastasis and prognosis. METHODS: In situ hybridization(ISH) of integrin β3 mRNA and immunohistochemistry of VEGF and CD34 protein were performed on samples from 118 patients with gastric cancer. RESULTS: The positive rate of integrin 133 mRNA in non- tumor gastric mucosa (20%) was significantly lower than that of the gastric cancer tissue (52.5%, x2 = 10.20, P ＜ 0.01). In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the positive expression rates of integrin β3 mRNA were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type (P ＜ 0.01), stage T1-T2 (P ＜ 0.01), non-vessel invasion (P ＜ 0.01), without lymphatic metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), respectively. In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the positive expression rates of VEGF protein were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type (P ＜ 0.01), stage T1-T2 (P ＜ 0.01), non-vessel invasion (P ＜ 0.01), without lymphatic metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), respectively. In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the mean MVD were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type (P ＜ 0.01), stage T1-T2 (P ＜ 0.01), non-vessel invasion (P ＜ 0.01), without lymphatic metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis (P ＜ 0.01), respectively. It was found that the positive expression rate of integrin β3 mRNA was positively related to that of VEGF protein (P ＜ 0.01) and MVD (P ＜ 0.05), meanwhile the positive expression rate of VEGF protein was positively related to NVD (P ＜ 0.05). The mean survival period in patients with positive expression of integrin β3 mRNA and VEGF, and MVD ≥ 54.9/mm2 was significantly shorter than that in patients with negative expression of integrin β3 mRNA (P ＜ 0.05) and VEGF (P ＜ 0.01), and MVD ＜ 54.9/mm2 (P ＜ 0.01). Five-year survival rate in patients with positive expression of integrin β3 mRNA and VEGF, and MVD ≥ 54.9/mm2 was significantly lower than those with negative expression of integrin β3 mRNA (P ＜ 0.05), VEGF (P ＜ 0.05), and NVD ＜ 54.9/mm2 (P ＜ 0.01). CONCLUSION: Integrin β3 and VEGF expression can synergistically enhance tumor angiogenesis, and may play a crucial role in invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. Therefore, they may be prognostic biomarkers and novel molecular therapeutic targets.     

Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor messenger RNA expression in gastric cancer

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Circulating level of hepatocyte growth factor as a useful tumor marker in patients with early-stage gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Although conventional tumor markers including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) have been used in gastric cancer patients, clinically useful markers of early gastric cancer have not been identified. The present study was designed to clarify the clinical significance of the circulating level of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) as a tumor marker, especially in early-stage gastric cancer patients. METHODS: Preoperative serum HGF levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 30 early-stage and 42 advanced-stage gastric cancer patients. RESULTS: The mean value of serum HGF in 72 patients was significantly higher than that in the normal subjects. There was a significant increase in serum HGF levels in both advanced-stage and early-stage patients compared with normal subjects. The positivity rates of HGF in early disease cases were higher than those of CEA and CA19-9. The serum HGF level was significantly higher in patients with vessel invasion than in those without invasion. In smaller early gastric cancers, serum HGF elevation was associated with lymphatic invasion. CONCLUSIONS: The serum HGF level may be a clinically significant tumor marker in patients with early-stage, as well as advanced-stage, gastric cancer. HGF elevation in early-stage patients may help us to predict the risk of lymph node metastasis of early gastric tumors, even of smaller tumor size. HGF may be a useful indicator for appropriate lymphadenectomy in early gastric cancer.     

Serum Levels of Pancreatitis-Associated Protein in Digestive Diseases with Special Reference to Gastrointestinal Cancers

The serum levels of pancreatitis-associatedprotein (PAP) were measured in 196 patients withdigestive diseases and 15 healthy subjects by anenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum PAP levelswere significantly elevated in the patients withgastric, colorectal, biliary tract, hepatocellular, orpancreatic cancers compared with the healthy subjects.After curative resection of the tumor, serum PAP levels were significantly decreased. The serumPAP levels were not related to clinicopathologicalfactors except for the tumor size of pancreatic cancer.There were some cases of PAP-positive andcarcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9-negative gastric and colorectal cancers. The serumPAP levels were also significantly elevated in thepatients with acute pancreatitis compared with those in not only the healthy subjects but also thepatients with chronic pancreatitis. The peak PAP levelswere significantly correlated with the severity of acutepancreatitis and reflected the clinical healing of the disease. The peak of serum PAP wassignificantly delayed compared with those of otherpancreatic enzymes. These results suggest that theincrease of serum PAP levels in patients withgastrointestinal cancers reflects an ectopic expression of PAPin cancer cells and that increased serum levels of PAPin acute pancreatitis are correlated with the diseaseseverity and are prolonged than those of other pancreatic markers.     

Association of VCAM-1 overexpression with oncogenesis,tumor angiogenesis and metastasis of gastric carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the relationship between the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and oncogenesis,tumor angiogenesis and metastasis in gastric carcinoma,and to evaluate the clinical significance of serum VCAM-1levels in gastric cancer.METHODS: Specimens from 41 patients with gastric cancer, 8 patients with benign gastric ulcer, and 10 healthy subjects were detected for the expression of VCAM-1 by immunohistochemistry. Microvessel density (MVD) was measured by counting the endothelial cells immunostained with the monoclonal antibody CD34 at x200 magnification.Serum VCAM-1 concentrations were measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in the 41 gastric cancer patients before surgery, and at 7 days after surgery as well as in 25 healthy controls. The association between preoperative serum VCAM-1 levels and clinicopathological features, and their changes following surgery was evaluated. Tn addition, serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was also examined.RESULTS: Of the 41 gastric cancer tissues, 31 (75.6 %)were VCAM-1 positive. The VCAM-1 positive gastric cancers were more invasive and classified in the more advanced stage than the VCAM-1 negative ones. The VCAM-1 positive cancers were associated with more lymph node metastases than VCAM-1-negative ones (P＜0.05). The expression of VCAM-1 was detected in tissues of two of the eight patients with gastric ulcer and two of the 10 healthy controls. The expression of VCAM-1 in gastric cancer patients was significantly more frequent than that in the healthy controls and ulcer group (both P＜0.05). MVD in VCAM-1 expressing tissues was higher than that in VCAM-1 negative tissues (t=2.13,P＜0.05). Serum VCAM-1 levels in gastric cancer patients were significantly higher than those in controls (t=3.4, P＜0.05). There was a significant association between serum VCAM-1 levels and disease stage, as well as invasion depth of the tumor and the presence of distant metastases.The concentrations of serum CEA in gastric cancer were higher than normal controls. Both serum VCAM-1 and CEA levels decreased significantly after radical resection of the primary tumor (P＜0.05). Furthermore, the serum levels of VCAM-1 were positively correlated with the expression of VCAM-1 in the tumor tissue (r=-0.85, P＜0.05).CONCLUSION: The expression of VCAM-1 is closely related to oncogenesis, tumor angiogenesis and metastasis in gastric carcinoma. Serum VCAM-1 level in gastric cancer patients is significantly increased compared with normal controls, which decreases significantly after radical resection of the primary tumor. The serum concentration of VCAM-1 may be considered as an effective marker of tumor burden of gastric cancer. Moreover, overexpression of VCAM-1 in gastric cancer tissue is likely a major source of serum VCAM-1.     

Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

Objective : The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a glycoprotein that selectively promotes proliferation of endothelial cells, has been associated with cancer development. The aim of the present study was to determine whether serum levels of VEGF correlate with disease progression in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods : VEGF levels were measured by a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera from 67 patients with colorectal cancer, 14 patients with colorectal adenomas, and 72 healthy volunteers, and in tissue homogenates from 10 patients with colorectal cancer. Results : Serum VEGF levels were significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer than in patients with colorectal adenomas or in normal controls (   p < 0.01  ). In patients with colorectal cancer, serum VEGF levels were significantly associated with Dukes stage (   p < 0.01  ) and with carcinoembryonic antigen levels (   r = 0.725  ,   p < 0.001  ). Patients with hepatic and/or lymph node metastasis had higher serum VEGF levels than those without. Surgical resection of the colorectal tumor led to a decrease in serum VEGF levels whether or not metastasis was present (   p < 0.05  ). The tumor-bearing tissue contained significantly more VEGF than normal-appearing mucosa (   p < 0.05  ). Conclusions : VEGF is involved in the development of colorectal cancer. Measurement of VEGF in the serum may be a useful noninvasive clinical marker for evaluating the disease status.     

Prognostic significance of expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in human gastric carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the role of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the development of gastric carcinoma and correlation between expression of COX-2 and VEGF and clinicopathologic features in tissues from patients with gastric carcinoma. METHODS: 281 patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent surgical resection between 1990 and 1999 at the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, PRC, were followed up. Expression of COX-2 and VEGF was investigated retrospectively in 232 gastric carcinoma tissues and 60 noncancerous specimens by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rates of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) and advanced gastric carcinoma (AGC) were 93.4 % and 59.0 %, respectively. Survival time was highly correlated with lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, depth of invasion and treatment with chemotherapy. Compared with paired noncancerous tissues, expression of COX-2 and VEGF and microvessel density (MVD) value in carcinoma tissue were significantly higher. The MVD value was much higher in COX-2-positive group and VEGF-positive group than that in COX-2-negative group and VEGF-negative group. Expression of COX-2 and VEGF, as well as MVD value were highly correlated with lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion. The 5-year survival rate of patients with expression of COX-2 or VEGF was significantly lower than that of patients without COX-2 or VEGF expression. Multivariate analysis revealed that VEGF overexpression, lymph node metastasis, COX-2 overexpression, depth of invasion and vascular invasion were all independent prognostic factors of gastric carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of COX-2 and VEGF in patients with gastric carcinoma can enhance the possibility of invasion and metastasis, implicating a poor prognosis. They may serve as the fairly good prognostic factors to indicate biologic behaviors of gastric carcinoma.     

Correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CEA with clinicopathological variables in colorectal cancer patients

The aim of the presented study is to analyze VEGF levels and its correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with colorectal carcinoma. Thirty-three patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma and 10 healthy controls were evaluated by estimation of VEGF and CEA levels and correlation with clinicopathological features. The serum VEGF and CEA concentrations of colorectal patients were higher than the healthy controls (p<0.05). Patients in advanced stage had high levels of both markers but these differences were not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between both markers and, tumor size and peritumoral vascular invasion (PVI) but when compared VEGF with CEA, VEGF had a stronger correlation. Diagnostic sensitivity of VEGF for colorectal carcinoma was higher than the sensitivity of CEA and combining both markers the sensitivity to predict colorectal carcinoma was higher than of each marker alone. Our study indicated that VEGF compared to CEA had a higher diagnostic sensitivity for colorectal carcinoma and might provide even additional information about tumor features.     

Correlation of integrin β3 mRNA and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression profiles with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric carcinoma

AIM： To investigate integrin β3 mRNA and vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） protein expression in gastric carcinoma, and its correlation with microvascular density, growth-pattern, invasion, metastasis and prognosis. METHODS： In situ hybridization（ISH） of integrin β3 mRNA and immunohistochemistry of VEGF and CD34 protein were performed on samples from 118 patients with gastric cancer. RESULTS： The positive rate of integrin β3 mRNA in non-tumor gastric mucosa （20%） was significantly lower than that of the gastric cancer tissue （52.5%, X^2 = 10.20, P 〈 0.01）. In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the positive expression rates of integrin β3 mRNA were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type （P 〈 0.01）, stage T1-T2 （P 〈 0.01）, non-vessel invasion （P 〈 0.01）, without lymphatic metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, respectively. In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the positive expression rates of VEGF protein were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type （P 〈 0.01）, stage T1-T2 （P 〈 0.01）, non-vessel invasion （P 〈 0.01）, without lymphatic metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, respectively. In patients of infiltrating type, stage T3-T4, vessel invasion, lymphatic metastasis, hepatic or peritoneal metastasis, the mean MVD were significantly higher than those in patients of expanding type （P 〈 0.01）, stage T1-T2 （P 〈 0.01）, non-vessel invasion （P 〈 0.01）, without lymphatic metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, without hepatic and peritoneal metastasis （P 〈 0.01）, respectively. It was found that the positive expression rate of integrin β3 mRNA was positively related to that of VEGF protein （P 〈 0.01） and MVD （P 〈 0.05）,