Relationship between mast cell density and tumor necrosis, and relationship between mast cell density and vascularization in lung, stomach and ovarian malign epithelial tumors

Malign epithelial tumors comprise a significant tumor group which can develop in numerous organs, mainly in lungs, and can cause death. Angiogenesis constitute a critical step for tumor growth, and in some studies, it was found that there was a close relationship between mast cell and angiogenesis or neovascularization (new vessel formation) in tissue. While it was claimed that mast cell can evoke tumor growth and spread through releasing several substances (anjiogenetic VEGF or collagenolytic enzyms etc.) by its degranülation, it was also demonstrated that mast cell can inhibit tumor growth and also can lead to apoptosis of tumor cells by releasing substances such as TNF- α and IL-4. For this reason, it can be said that two issues are very crucial in mutual interference between mast cell and tumor cells: effect of mast cell on angiogenesis and its alleged cytotoxic effect. In the present research, we aimed to pose the relationship between mast cell density and vascularization in cases with necrosis and cases without necrosis in stomach, lung and ovarian malign epithelial tumor samples which are frequently encountered and may occur with necrosis. For this reason, we examined totally 165 malign epithelial tumor cases. While 50 of these cases were stomach, 56 of them lung, and the remaining 59 of these cases were ovarian malign epithelial tumors. They were divided into two groups: cases with necrosis and cases without necrosis, for these cases then mast cell tryptase and CD34 anticor were applied. According to the data obtained in our study, in stomach, lung malign epithelial tumors without necrosis included more mast cells and more vascular constructions than the cases with necrosis did. We think that there might be a relationship between increase in the vascular construction and increase in mast cells, and this relationship could be related with VEGF level which is known to be released by mast cells.