EN
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess ovarian cancer angiogenesis by comparing intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) with pericytes expression. Methods: Tumor specimens from 34 women operated because of malignant adnexal tumors were evaluated. Pericytes were assessed with anti-desmin antibody and microvessels were counted following CD-34 antigen detection. Histological type, grading, FIGO stage and menopausal status were compared with MVD and pericytes expression. Results: The means of MVD in serous and mucinous tumors were 25 (range: 8-83) and 22 (range: 8-50), respectively. The difference between medians of MVD and mean number of pericytes per high power field were not statistically significant. Also, there was no correlation between assessed markers and differentiation grade and FIGO stage and tumor type. Conclusion: MVD counting with CD-34 antigen, but not desmin expression for pericytes detection seems to be a useful parameter for neoangiogenesis assessment in ovarian cancers.