-Optimised microvessel density analysis improves prediction of cancer stage from prostate needle biopsies.

-Tumor angiogenesis correlates with progression after radical prostatectomy but not with pathologic stage in Gleason sum 5 to 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

-Vascular Density Is a Predictor of Cancer-Specific Survival in Prostatic Carcinoma

Angiogenesis - Review from the Journal of the NCI

Optimised microvessel density analysis improves prediction of cancer stage from prostate needle biopsies.

Bostwick DG, Wheeler TM, Blute M, Barrett DM, MacLennan GT, Sebo TJ et al.
Urology 1996, 48: 47-57.


Extra-prostatic extension is an unfavourable prognostic factor in patients with prostate cancer and it would be useful if these individuals could be reliably distinguished before planning treatment. The authors have examined the use of microvessel density analysis in conjunction with other markers to predict extracapsular spread. One hundred and eighty six randomly selected needle biopsies, matching totally embedded radical prostatectomy specimens and preoperative PSA concentrations were evaluated. Gleason score and optimized microvessels density (OMVD) were determined from the needle biopsies. Microvessels were identified by use of a factor VIII-related antigen immunohistochemical stain. The authors found addition of OMVD to Gleason score and preoperative PSA significantly increased the prediction of extraprostatic extension. It is proposed by the authors that OMVD is a useful tool which can assist with treatment decisions in selected patients.

Tumor angiogenesis correlates with progression after radical prostatectomy but not with pathologic stage in
Gleason sum 5 to 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Silberman MA, Partin AW, Veltri RW and Epstein JI.
Cancer 1997, 79: 772-9.

This study shows that microvessel density in the radical prostatectomy specimen can help predict which tumours
need additional therapy because they are likely to progress. The best predictor was Gleason score but
microvessel density was as useful as extracapsular penetration and it was an additional explanatory variable. It
remains to be seen what is the best therapy after this.

Vascular Density Is a Predictor of
Cancer-Specific Survival in Prostatic Carcinoma

Ingela Franck Lissbrant, Par Stattin, Jan-Erik Damber, and Anders Berghl
'Department of pathology, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
Deportment of Urology and Andrology, Umea University, Umea, Sweden

BACKGROUND. Microvessel density has been shown to give prognostic information in a
variety of solid tumors, but its role in prostatic carcinoma needs further elucidation.
METHODS. Intratumoral density of von Willebrand factor-positive microvessels was as-
sessed in 98 cases of prostatic carcinoma, diagnosed at transurethral resection of the prostate
(TURP) between 1975-1983, using two methods: 1) volume density of microvessels and 2)
vascular count in the 2-3 most vascularized fields.
RESULTS. Volume density and vascular counts were highly correlated. In Kaplan-Meyer
analysis, mean cancer-specific survival time for patients with a vascular count <135 was
significantly longer than for patients with a vascular count >135 (P = 0.0064). The same results
applied to patients with WHO grade II tumors (P = 0.01). Excluding metastasis in a multi-
variate analysis, both tumor stage and vascular count had an independent predictive value for
cancer-specific survival in patients with WHO grade II tumors.
CONCLUSIONS. Microvessel density may predict cancer-specific survival in prostatic car-
cinoma. Prostate 33:38-45, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.