Is tumour angiogenesis a prognostic factor in patients with colorectal cancer and no involved nodes?

Objective: To examine a possible association between tumour angiogenesis and conventional prognostic variables and to assess the prognostic value of the variables examined in patients with colorectal cancer, with no involved nodes. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: University hospital, Italy. Subjects: 119 patients who had had colorectal cancers resected for cure with no involved nodes between 1985-1990. Interventions: The three microscopic fields with the most microvessels were identified by immunohistochemical techniques. 10 high-power fields in each area were used for the microvessel count and the mean values indicated the microvessel density. Main outcome measures: Correlation of microvessel density with conventional prognostic factors, recurrence rates, and survival. Results: There was a significant correlation between microvessel density and sex, women having a higher density than men (p <0.05), but no significant correlations between density and recurrence rates or survival. Multivariate analysis did not indicate that microvessel density had a prognostic role. Conclusion: Microvessel density in colorectal cancer without involved nodes does not correlate with conventional prognostic factors and provides no prognostic information.