Expression of angiogenic growth factors in laryngeal carcinoma

Over 2,200 cases of carcinoma of the larynx are diagnosed in the UK annually, with an overall 5-year survival rate of 67%. Angiogenesis is vital for the growth and metastasis of solid tumours and the expression of key angiogenesis-related proteins has been shown to be of prognostic significance. In this study we reported the expression of key angiogenesis-related factors, selected from a pilot array study, in a cohort of laryngeal tumours and associated metastatic lymph nodes. Forty patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx were recruited. Tissue specimens were obtained intra-operatively, prior to chemo-and/or radiotherapy, from the tumours and secondary lymph nodes. The patient group comprised 32 men and 8 women with a mean age of 68 years (range, 51-89 years). The relative expression of the angiogenesis-related proteins angiogenin, interleukin (IL)-8, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-basic and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) was determined in the tissue lysates by ELISA. The expression of angiogenin was higher in early-stage compared with late-stage tumours (P=0.034) and the expression of IGFBP3 was higher in tumours compared with the metastatic lymph nodes (P=0.016). No statistically significant differences were recorded for VEGF, FGF, TIMP-1 or IL-8 between tumour stages or primary tumours and lymph nodes. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to investigate multiple angiogenic factors in the lysates of laryngeal carcinomas and metastatic nodes and identified angiogenin and IGFBP3 as factors possibly involved in tumour progression. A greater understanding of their function may offer novel prognostic and/or therapeutic options.