Abstract
BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting ones via capillary sprouting, is a crucial process in tumor growth and metastasis. As a tumor's angiogenic capacity increases, its microvasculature, measured by micro vessel density (MVD), also increases. This study aims to evaluate the expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and CD34 in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma through immunohistochemical methods. METHODS: The study analyzed a total of 40 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. These included 10 cases of normal buccal mucosa, 15 cases of oral epithelial dysplasia, and 15 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using monoclonal anti-VEGF and anti-CD34 antibodies. The intensity and area of staining for VEGF were assessed, and the mean MVD was calculated. Statistical analysis was conducted using Pearson's chi-square test and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF and MVD (indicated by CD34 staining) were significantly higher in oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to oral epithelial dysplasia and normal buccal mucosa. CONCLUSION: As tumors grow, angiogenesis increases proportionally with tumor volume and disease progression, contributing to tumorigenesis. VEGF serves as a critical mitogen for tumor vascularization, and MVD can be a useful indicator of disease progression.