Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C1519670 (tumor angiogenesis)
 6,052 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

MMP-9, which degrades extracellular matrix, is believed to play a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Angiogenesis is also perceived as an important step in tumor growth and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of MMP-9 in tumor samples of HNSCC patients and to study a possible correlation to angiogenic markers. Cryostat sections of 52 HNSCC tumors were immunostained for MMP-9, bFGF and VEGF using a standard streptavidin-biotin complex procedure for light microscopic investigation. Microvessel density (MVD) was determined by staining of endothelial cells immunohistochemically using anti-vWF monoclonal antibody. MMP-9 positive staining was detected in 27/52 (52%) of the tumors. MMP-9 immunoreactivity did not correlate with the main clinicopathological characteristics of the patients (localisation, T-stage, N-stage, histological grading), but correlated with worse survival of the patients. MMP-9 negative tumors showed a significant lower mean MVD per microscopic field than MMP-9 positive tumors (p<0. 001). There was a significant association of MMP-9 and VEGF expression (p<0.05). The presence of MMP-9 in HNSCC cancer and the positive correlation with MVD and VEGF expression supports the theory that MMP-9 functions as a regulator of tumor angiogenesis supporting endothelial cell invasion. MMP-9 and VEGF might act co-operatively in the process of neovascularization in human head and neck cancer.
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PMID:Expression of 92-kDa type IV collagenase correlates with angiogenic markers and poor survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. 1107 94

Positron emission tomography with the glucose analogue 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG-PET) is frequently used for staging and re-staging of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region (HNSCC). HNSCCs generally demonstrate intense FDG uptake and FDG-PET has been found to be clinically useful in many situations. Nevertheless, several limitations of FDG-PET have also been identified. These include the physiologic uptake of FDG in several normal structures in the head and neck region as well as the unspecific FDG uptake by inflammatory processes. In order to overcome the limitations of FDG-PET tracers targeting amino acid transport, thymidine metabolism, hypoxia and antigen expression have been developed and tested in preclinical, as well as in initial clinical studies. While encouraging results have been obtained in small series of patients, none of the studied agents are likely to replace FDG-PET for staging and re-staging of HNSCCs, since their sensitivity for tumor detection appears limited. Nevertheless, they may provide complementary information on FDG-PET. Amino acid tracers may allow more specific detection HNSCC as compared to FDG-PET, and PET with [18F]fluorothymidine has shown encouraging results for monitoring changes in tumor proliferation during therapy. Using markers of hypoxia PET can potentially improve the efficacy of radiotherapy by increasing the radiation dose to hypoxic and thus more radioresistant tumors. Radiolabeled antibodies hold great potential for imaging drug targets and monitoring antibody therapy. Imaging of alpha(v)beta(3) integrins may allow characterization of tumor angiogenesis and monitoring of anti-angiogenic therapies. All these promising new applications of PET do, however, require more systematic clinical studies before they can be used for patient management.
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PMID:New tracers beyond FDG in head and neck oncology. 2201 10