Morphometric assessment of microvessel density in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using immunomarker CD105 and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters

Background: Blood vessel counts using CD105 staining are more informative marker of prognosis as compared with staining by other endothelial markers. We conducted a study to compare intratumoral (IT) and peritumoral (PT) microvessel density (MVD) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using endothelial marker CD105 and its correlation with lymph node metastasis, histological grading, and other clinicopathological parameters. Materials and Methods: Fifty cases of HNSCC with modified radical neck dissection specimens were included in the study group. Representative blocks were prepared from tumor, PT tissue, tumor margins, and all the lymph nodes. Histopathological diagnosis and other parameters were established on the routine hematoxylin and eosin stain. Immunohistochemical profile of blood vessels in IT and PT tissues was assessed by subjecting one section each from a representative block of the tumor and PT tissue to CD105 immunostain. To determine MVD, four fields with the highest MVD (hotspots) were identified. The mean values were calculated by taking an average of all the measurements. Results: No significant association was seen between MVD, IT-MVD, and PT-MVD and different age groups, male/female patients, risk factors, site of tumor, size of tumor, presence/absence of inflammation, pushing/infiltrating margin, and different stages of tumors. When compared in node positive and negative groups, a significantly higher MVD, IT-MVD, and PT-MVD was seen in association with lymph node metastasis. The comparison of MVD between PT and IT area revealed significantly higher IT-MVD (P = 0.001). Conclusion: In the study, we found a significant association of IT-MVD with lymph node metastasis and also observed CD105 as a highly specific marker for IT microvessels while PT vessels were not stained or weakly stained.