[Significance of p53 and VEGF expression in liver metastasis from colorectal cancer]

We examined the significance of expression of p53 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the liver metastasis in 155 patients with colorectal cancer. The expression of p53, VEGF, and microvessel density (MVD) were immunohistochemically studied. There were significant differences between patients positive for p53 and patients negative for p53, between patients positive for VEGF and patients negative for VEGF, with respect to the occurrence of liver metastases. The frequency of patients positive for both p53 and VEGF in the liver metastases group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The frequency of patients positive for both p53 and v, both VEGF and v in the liver metastases group, was significantly higher than in the control group. MVD in patients positive for VEGF was significantly higher than that negative for VEGF. Thus, p53 and VEGF expression affects the formation of liver metastases from colorectal cancer by the activation of neovascularization followed by feasibility of the extravasation of tumor cells in the tumor tissue.