The effect of bronchial artery infusion therapy on microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in central bronchogenic carcinoma

Objective: To observe the effect of BAI therapy on tumor angiogenesis of central bronchogenic carcinoma. Methods: Twenty-two patients with central bronchogenic carcinoma undergone radical resection after bronchial artery infusion (BAI) therapy. The diagnosis in all patients was histologically confirmed by the examination of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) before therapy. All samples obtained from FOB biopsy and surgical excision were stained by immunohistochemical method. Microvascular density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein expression in tumor tissue were measured respectively. CT scanning was performed before and after BAI therapy respectively in all patients to observe the maximum diameter of tumor and clinical staging. The statistical analysis was performed by the software of SPSS for windows 8.0. Results: MVD of tumor tissue before and after BAI therapy was 16.84 +- 7.68 and 21.85 +- 6.16, respectively, and the results were not statistically significant. The VEGF expression, however, was significantly decreased after BAI therapy (P < 0.01). The maximum diameter before and after BAI therapy was (4.84 +- 1.73) cm and (3.78 +- 1.55) cm respectively, the results were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The clinical staging before and after BAI therapy was not statistically significant. (P > 0.05). The VEGF expression before and after BAI therapy showed negative correlation with the maximum diameter of tumor ( r = -0.340, P < 0.05). The change of the maximum diameter of tumor showed positive correlation with the change of MVD (r = 0.316, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between the VEGF expression and the maximum diameter of the tumor after BAI therapy (r = -0.168, P > 0.05). MVD and VEGF expression showed no correlation with the clinical staging before and after BAI therapy (r = 0.009 - 0.269, P > 0.05). Conclusion: BAI therapy may inhibit the tumor angiogenesis of central bronchogenic carcinoma