VEGF and EMMPRIN expression correlates with survival of patients with osteosarcoma

To investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN) expression in osteosarcoma, and to evaluate the clinical significance of these two markers in the survival of osteosarcoma.

VEGF and EMMPRIN expression in paraffin-embedded specimens gathered from 65 patients with primary osteosarcoma were detected by the method of immunohistochemistry using antibodies against VEGF and EMMPRIN. The correlation of VEGF and EMMPRIN expression with the clinicopathologic features and with the survival of osteosarcoma was subsequently assessed.

The expression of VEGF and EMMPRIN was detected in 47/65 (72.31%) and 45/65 (69.23%) of patients with osteosarcoma, respectively. Positive expression of VEGF and EMMPRIN was significantly correlated with surgical stage and percentage of dead cells of osteosarcoma. A significant correlation was found between the expression of VEGF and EMMPRIN in osteosarcoma (r=0.89, p=0.01). Additionally, surgical stage, percentage of dead cells, VEGF and EMMPRIN expression showed significant influence on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, surgical stage (IIA versus IIB/III) and percentage of dead cells (≤90% versus >90%) were significant for DFS and OS. Those patients with VEGF+/EMMPRIN+ co-expression showed significantly shorter OS and DFS compared with VEGF-/EMMPRIN- expression.

According to our study, the overexpression of VEGF or EMMPRIN may be an important feature of osteosarcoma. A combined detection of VEGF/EMMPRIN co-expression may benefit us in prediction of a poor survival of osteosarcoma.