Microvessel density in ovarian carcinoma: computer image analysis in patients with shorter and longer survival

We previously reported that tumor microvessel density (MVD) may have prognostic significance in ovarian carcinoma. The aim of this study was to compare the intratumoral microvessels using a computer-aided image analysis system between FIGO stage IIIC, serous, G3, ovarian carcinomas obtained from living patients who had no evident disease 5 years after primary treatment and ovarian carcinomas, matched for stage, histopathology, grade of differentiation, and treatment, obtained from patients who had died of progression of disease no later than 1 year after primary treatment. We observed that MVD is statistically correlated, according to the logistic regression in univariate and multivariate ways, with the survival (P= 0.03 and P= 0.05, respectively) and with the progression of the disease during first-line chemotherapy (P= 0.009 and P= 0.012, respectively). In the past years, the modulation of first-line chemotherapeutic treatment has been a question of discussion, because the oncologist observes extremely unpredictable behaviors with surprisingly long survivals and also short survivals. Pathologists may give clinicians some additional prognostic information useful in the management of ovarian carcinoma patients. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the evaluation of MVD with computer image analysis can help clinicians in the choice of the tailored treatment of the single case.