Study of Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Colorectal malignancies and Clinicopathological Correlation.

INTRODUCTION: Adenocarcinoma of the colon is the most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. VEGF is an important regulator of tumor angiogenesis and is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis5. Thus, assessing VEGF expression is colorectal cancer can help in determining the prognosis. In this study, an attempt has been made to study the expression of VEGF in colorectal malignancies, and to compare it with various clinicopathological parameters. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the epidemiological aspects of colorectal cancer in patients attending Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital from July 2013 – July 2015. 2. To assess the expression of VEGF in colorectal cancer. 3. To compare with the clinicopathological parameters and to assess the prognostic significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on colorectal adenocarcinomas. It is a combined prospective and retrospective study conducted in the Institute of Pathology, Madras Medical College, Chennai. It has been conducted over a period of 2 years from July 2013 to July 2015. We received 147 cases of resected specimens of colorectal carcinomas for histopathological examination in our Institute of Pathology, during the period between July 2013 to July 2015. Inclusion Criteria: Colorectal malignancies diagnosed in resected specimens. Exclusion Criteria: Small biopsies, Lymphoma of the colon, GIST, Non-neoplastic and benign lesions. Statistical Analysis: The statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science software. The expression of VEGF was correlated with variables like age, gender, location, size, grade, stage, histological grade, lymph node involvement and lymphovascular invasion. CONCLUSION: Among the 147 cases studied at the Institute of Pathology, Madras Medical College from July 2013-July 2015, median age at presentation is 60 years, with a male preponderance. Left sided tumors are common; Infiltrating adenocarcinoma with moderate differentiation being the predominant histopathological subtype. ...