Relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor expression and angiogenesis and cell proliferation of malignant gliomas in children

Objective: To investigate the relation of vascularendothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression withangiogenesis and cell proliferation in malignant gliomain children. Methods: Immunohistochemical techniquewas used to detect the expression of VEGF, microvesselquantity (MVQ) and PCNA Labeling index (PCNA LI)in 33 malignant gliomas in children Results: Positivestaining for VEGF was obtained in 23 out of the 33 cases(69.7%). The MVQ and PCNA LI in VEFG-positivetumors were significantly higher than those in VEGFnegative tumors (P<0.005). The expression of VEGF intumor tissues was significantly correlative with MVQand PCNA LI (r=0.52 and 0.37, respectively,P<0.001).Conclusion: VEGF can be synthesized in tumor cells ofmalignant glioma in children which might play asignificant role in angiogenesis and cell proliferation inthe tumor.