Clinical value of angiogenic stimulators in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Abstract EN

Angiogenesis or neovascularization has been reported to be an important event in tumor development and spread.

To investigate the role of angiogenesis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), the serum levels of the angiogenic stimulators, basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), platelet derived endothelial growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase (PD-ECGF/TP), gangliosides, hyaluronic acid (HA) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined in 27patients with SCCHN (15 laryngeal & 12 pharyngeal carcinoma).

The study also included 8 patients with benign neoplasms of the larynx.

For comparative purposes 9 apparently healthy controls, comparable in age to patients were also included The serum levels of the angiogenic stimulators, b-FGF, PD-ECGF/TP, gangliosides, hyaluronic acid and NO were significantly increased in patients with SCCHN compared to controls as well as patients with benign lesions.

Meanwhile, the levels in cases with benign lesions were significantly higher than the corresponding levels in control group except for b-FGF, which was insignificantly increased The levels of these indices reflected stage of tumor being significantly higher in advanced stages (III & IV) compared to early stages (I & II).

Patients with higher tumor burden had significantly higher levels compared to cases with low burden.

Moreover, cases with lymph node involvement showed significantly higher levels of all angiogenic stimulators compared to those without lymph nodal involvement.

No relationship could be observed between the levels of these indices with eiher site or degree of differentiation of SCCHN.

In conclusion, this study clarified that angiogenic stimulators, b-FGF, PDECGF/TP, HA, gangliosides and NO play an important role in tumor growth and spread of SCCHN.

The use of antiangiogenic drugs could play an important role as a new therapeutic modality either alone or concurrently with classic chemotherapeutic drugs in treatment of these cases.