TISSUE GROWTH FACTORS OF VEGF FAMILY IN DYNAMICS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVARIAN CANCER

Ovarian carcinoma is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer. Aim of the study is to reveal the role of VEGF-C comparing to VEGF-А in the progression of ovarian cancer. Material and methods. Tissue samples obtained from 76 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (serous cystadenocarcinoma: T1N0M0; T2N0M0; T3NxM0; T4Nx-1M0) and 47 patients with cystadenoma were studied. Histological control was performed in all cases. Ovaries of 20 patients obtained during the surgery for uterine myoma were used as the intact tissue. All patients were 50.9 ± 2.9 years old. Levels of the growth factor as VEGF-A and its receptor VEGF-R1, as well VEGF-С and its receptor sVEGF-R3 - were measured by ELISA with the use of standard test systems. Results. VEGF-А levels in cystadenomas and intact tissue were similar, while in cystadenocarcinomas VEGF-А was significantly higher at all stages of the tumor development. sVEGF-R1 receptor in cystadenomas was lower in comparison with the intact tissue, in the contralateral ovary in T1N0M0 and in the tumorous ovary in T4Nx-1M0. VEGF-С level was higher significantly in all tumors, in cystadenocarcinomas it was higher if compared to cystadenomas. Its increase in the contralateral ovary in T1N0M0 differed from other tissue values being average. sVEGF-R3 receptor increased significantly at the later stages of ovarian cancer - T3NxM0 and T4Nx-1M0; its level was low only in the contralateral ovary in T1N0M0, and the values in other tissues were similar to the intact ones. Conclusion. The results show a high rate of lymphatic vessel formation in benign tumors at all stages of the development of the malignant tumor. The significant increase in VEGF-C level in the contralateral (non-tumorous) ovaries, compared to the intact tissue, allows considering VEGF-C, along with VEGF-А, as a pathogenetic factor of ovarian tumor development.