A morphometric approach for the evaluation of angiogenesis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood

Received 18 May 2004; accepted 25 August 2004.

Abstract

Angiogenesis was estimated in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by the use of a novel morphometric method. This was compared with the widely used one of microvessel density (MVD). Bone marrow biopsies were evaluated by immunostaining with anti-Factor VIII related antigen (FVIIIRAg). Angiogenesis was calculated as volume corrected microvessel density index (VC-MVDI), taking into account the bone marrow cellularity. According to our results both MVD and VC-MVDI were increased at diagnosis of ALL in comparison with the control group. However the VC-MVDI increment was not statistically significant. Therefore, VC-MVDI could be more representative of the true increase of angiogenesis, correlating better with the outcome of the disease.

Keywords: Angiogenesis, Lymphoblastic leukemia, Morphometry, Hot spots, Childhood

a Departments of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, P.O. Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion Crete, Greece

b Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Heraklion, P.O. Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion Crete, Greece

c Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, P.O. Box 1352, 71110 Heraklion Crete, Greece

Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 2810394692; fax: +30 2810394694.

PII: S0145-2126(05)00036-6

doi:10.1016/j.leukres.2004.08.013

15 of 23