Various immunostaining patterns of CD31, CD34 and endoglin and their relationship with lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinomas

BACKGROUND: Intratumoral blood vessels are known to play an important role in cancer growth and metastasis. The discrepancy in previous reports using various endothelial markers individually suggested us to investigate both normal and various tumor areas with a wide panel of vascular markers. METHODS: Here, we used a panel of three antibodies (CD31, CD34, and endoglin) as blood vessel markers to investigate the distribution and properties of blood vessels in normal oral tissues and squamous cell carcinomas. RESULTS: Many microvessels with strong remodeling activity as well as undifferentiated tumoral vascular endothelial cells and immature endothelial cells were present in the cancer cell nest and marginal area of cancer infiltration. Our results showed different vascular distribution patterns using various immunostaining markers in normal and tumoral tissues. CONCLUSION: Vascular distribution and properties of endothelial cells appear to be closely associated with metastasis.