The role of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and receptor in leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma

Objective : To determine the role of VEGF and VEGF-R expression in formation, growth of small, large myomas and leiomyosarcomas using immunohistochemical methodMaterials and Methods: 40 small leiomyomas( small than 10 cm diamater), 10 large leiomyomas (large than 10 cm) and 2 leiomyosarcomas were chosen from the archieve of Celal Bayar University Pathology department for comparision 19 samples of myometrium adjecent to leiomyom nodules and 6 normal samples were also examined. VEGF and VEGF-R expression was assesed using immunohistochemistry method. The interpretation of immunohistochemical staining was expressed as follows: 0 ( no staining), 1 (mild positive),2 (moderate positive), 3 (strong positiveResults : There were no statistically significant relationship between myoma size, leiomyoma and normal myometrium(p>0.05). Due to small number of leiomyosarcomas, 2 samples weren?t taken in to account. But significant VEGF and VEGF-R expression detected in cytoplasmasConclusion : Our study showed that, there are more than one factor, take role in forming growing leiomyomas. Recent studies showed that transformation of myometrium to leiomyoma may be related to complex relationship between somatic mutations of myometrium, local growth factors and sex steroidsKeywords: VEGF, VEGF-R, Leiomyoma