[Vascular endothelial growth factor and plasminogen activators in endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia]

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and such plasminogen activation system components as uPA, PAI-1 and tPA were determined by enzyme immunoassay methods in endometrial tumors from 121 patients and 18 samples of endometrial hyperplasia of varying degree. Endometrial carcinoma concentrations of uPA vs. PAI-1 were significantly higher than those in hyperplasia. Significant direct correlations--uPA vs. VEGF, uPA vs. PAI-1 and PAI-1 vs. VEGF--were established in endometrial tumors, and inverse ones for tPA vs. uPA and tPA vs. VEGF. A marked correlation with prognostic factors was found for PAI-1 and VEGF: levels of these proteins were relatively higher in cases of tumor progression (FIGO stage and deeper myometrial invasion), poor cell differentiation, and loss of hormone sensitivity. Higher uPA expression was associated with deeper myometrial invasion while, in endometrial tumors with unfavorable prognosis, it was VEGF level alone that was significantly higher.