Peritumoral angiogenesis in carcinomas of the head and neck

In the present study, the relationship between peritumoral angiogenesis and the clinical stage or the DNA ploidy pattern in 37 cases of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck was examined. Vascular endothelial cells of biopsy specimens were immunohistochemically stained for factor VIII-related antigen and the number of micro-vessels counted. The DNA ploidy pattern was determined by flow cytometry. The number of micro-vessels increased significantly (p < 0.05) as the regional lymph node metastasis advanced. In terms of the DNA ploidy pattern, the tumors of aneuploid pattern contained a greater number of micro-vessels than did those of diploid pattern. These findings suggest that the number of micro-vessels at the primary site of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck may be closely associated with the metastatic potential to the regional lymph node.