sFTL-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), intratumoral microvessel density and oxygenation in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Purpose: Intratumoral hypoxia contributes to neovascularisation by angiogenic factors. Angiogenesis can be examined by evaluation of microvessel density using immunohistochemistry. VEGF-1 is mainly involved in angiogenesis by binding a 180 kD transmembrane protein receptor, the VEGFR-1 (ftl-1). Alternative splicing produces are a shorter soluble form (soluble FLT-1, s-VEGFR-1), which can be measured in the serum and plasma of tumor patients. Methods: Eppendorf-oxygenation measurements were performed on 38 patients with cervical carcinoma (CX), FIGO stage IB1 to IVA. Biopsies, obtained from each oxygenation measu…