Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma induced in Hamster that underwent radiotherapy

Abstract

Background & Aim: The development of blood vessels through angiogenesis supports the growth and expand of many types of cancer, including oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Angiogenesis after radiotherapy is a significant focus of recent studies to confirm the importance of combined treatments, as vascular control can have a great therapeutic value.

Aim of study: Investigating the expression of angiogenesis vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) after induced it in hamsters then applying radiotherapy and comparing it before and after therapy to verify changes of this marker through the application of radiotherapy.

Materials & methods: It consisted of 18 samples of OSCC which induced in the right buccal pouch of hamsters group1 and 18 samples of OSCC which induced in the right buccal pouch of hamsters, underwent radiotherapy and then were sacrificed (2 hamsters after 10Gy, 2 hamsters after 20Gy, 14 hamsters after 30Gy) Biopsies were taken and fixed with formalin, paraffin waxed in conventional H&E and immunostained with monoclonal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor.

Results: our findings  showed positive expression to this marker in both groups a but didn't show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.187) in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor between group 1 and group 2. moreover, we’ve found islands of tumor cells that weren’t affected and resistant the radiation which also revealed a high expression of VEGF.

Conclusion: cells which showed high expression to vascular endothelial growth factor didn’t give high radiosensitivity and resist therapy. Subsequently, we assure the importance of applying anti-VEGF as a supportive therapy with radiation therapy.