OBJECTIVE: To investigate the vessel endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a risk factor in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (SCCP). METHODS: Forty-seven patients with penile carcinoma were evaluated retrospectively. The mean age and standard deviation were 61.1±11.7 years. All of them were treated by penectomy and those with positive nodes underwent groin lymphadenectomy. Tumor grading was 35 G1 and 12 G2/3. Primary lesion stage was 24 pT1 and 23 pT2-4. Positive inguinal nodes were observed in 15 patients. Selected paraffin embedded sections were submitted to VEGF immunohistochemical analysis by the avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method with antigen retrieval. All slides were examined using an automatic analyzer system and the proportion of labeled cells in 10 high magnification power fields (400X) were recorded in a blind analysis. RESULTS: Median (%) labeling index was 2.3 in G1 versus 2.2 in G2/3 tumors (p=0.60), and 4.0 in pT1 versus 1.8 pT2-4 tumors (p=0.10). The respective data for pN0 patients was 2.8 and for pN+ was 2.1 (p=0.20). Survival curves showed no association with patients survival. CONCLUSION: In squamous cell carcinoma of the penis the VEGF immunoexpression has no association with tumor grade or stage, as well as with patient survival.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate microvessel density as a risk factor in squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. METHODS: Fifty patients with penile carcinoma were evaluated retrospectively. The mean age and standard deviation were 60.8±11.8 years. All of them were treated by penectomy and with positive nodes underwent groin lymphadenectomy. Tumor grading was 36 G1 and 24 G2/3. Primary lesion stage was 22 pT1 and 28 pT2-4. Positive inguinal nodes were observed in 18 patients. Selected paraffin embedded sections were submitted to CD34 immunohistochemical analysis by the avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method with antigen retrieval. All slides were examined using an automatic analyzer system and the number of micro-vessels in 10 high magnification power fields (400X) were counted in a blind analysis. RESULTS: Median number of microvessels was 631 in G1 versus 695 in G2/3 tumors (p=0.78), and 696 in pT1 versus 566 pT2-4 tumors (p=0.23). The respective data for pN0 patients was 525 and for pN+ was 696 (p=0.01), which is an unexpected result. CONCLUSION: CD34 immunoexpression or microvessel density determined by this method bear no association with tumor grade, stage or prognosis.