1038 D3000 new imprint Word template Vol 13, No 1 (2025) ISSN 2167-8677 (online) DOI 10.5195/d3000.2025.1038 http://dentistry3000.pitt.edu Correlation between a VEGF Marker and Patients with Mucoepider- moid Carcinoma Asmaa H. Ali College of Medicine, University of Fallujah, Iraq Abstract Objec/ve: The aim of this work was to examine the expression of VEGF and its correlaNon with the grade of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Subjects and Methods: A cohort of males with mean age 47.1±13.15 and 13 females with mean age 38.65±22.15 was studied. Eight cases had high, 11 moderate, and 11 had low grade lesions based on histopathology. FiUy formalin- fixed, paraffin-embedded Nssue blocks of these paNents with mucoepidermoid disease were used to confirm the diagnosis in this study using secNons stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results: VEGF was expressed in all cases. Cytoplasmic expression varied from +1 in two cases to +4 in 28 cases. VEGF was expressed at high intensity in 27 cases. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was found between the intensity and expression of VEGF, according to the chi-square test. There was a significant correlaNon between mucoepidermoid carcinoma and grade of cancer. Conclusion: VEGF was expressed in malignant tumors and may serve as a marker for the disease. Open Access Cita%on: Ali AH. (2025) Correla%on between a VEGF Marker and Pa%ents with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma. Den%stry 3000. 1:a001 doi:10.5195/d3000.2025.1038 Received: September 6, 2025 Accepted: September 24, 2025 Published: October 8, 2025 Copyright: ©2025 Ali AH. This is an open access ar%cle licensed under a Crea%ve Commons AVribu%on Work 4.0 United States License. Email: mmss2006@uofallujah.edu.iq Introduc)on The lymphatic and blood vascular systems are formed and maintained in large part by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) [1]. VEGF affects the vascularization of tumors, the vascularization that occurs naturally during the healing of wounds, and the pathologic neovascularization that re- sults from local tissue ischemia [2]. Mucoep- idermoid carcinoma, or MEC, is a common salivary gland cancer that mostly affects the parotid gland. In a clinical setting, MEC may manifest as a damaging mass that is rapidly growing or as a mass that grows slowly. His- tologic grade and clinical stage are usually associated with the prognosis of mucoepi- dermoid carcinoma [3]. Immunohistochemistry studies have been produced aiming to aid in both the prognosis of tumors in salivary gland malignant and the differential diagnosis of cancers in sali- vary gland but paid little attention to the expression of VEGF marker and its signiMi- cance [4,5]. Evaluations of the expression in healthy salivary glands next to cancers were conducted [6]. Expression levels in mucoep- idermoid carcinoma and small salivary gland papillary cystadenoma were also assessed [6]. Identifying an immunohistochemistry marker is essential for determining the de- velopment of malignancies in mucoepider- moid patients and its correlation marker [7]. The objective of this work was to examine immunohistochemically the expression of VEGF and the correlation of that expression with the grade of cancer. Subjects and Methods Fifty formalin-Mixed, parafMin-embedded tis- sue blocks of 30 patients with mucoepider- moid disease were used to conMirm diagnosis in this study using sections stained with he- matoxylin and eosin. The Madenat Altib Hos- pital's pathology department archives were used to choose the patients. After being taken from the patient Miles, the case slides were examined to verify the clinicopatho- logic data, which included age, sex, and his- tologic grade. Partitions measuring 4 μm were cut out of each parafMin-covered sample block and the blocks were deparafMinized using 100% xy- lene. Subsequently, blocks were rehydrated using increasing concentrations of ethanol and submerged in TBS with a pH of around 6.0 tris buffer saline and for antigen retrieval the samples heated at 750 watts in a micro- wave oven. Samples were let cool down at room temperature and incubated in primary antibodies. After being diluted to a 1:12,000 ratio with EnVision, VEGF (Anti-Human clone: KDI5, Leicca MEXI, in USA Polyclonal Rabbit) was left to sit for one hour [8]. After a wash in saline tris solution, a secondary an- tibody treatment was administered. Samples CorrelaNon between a VEGF Marker and PaNents with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Vol 13, No 1 (2025) DOI 10.5195/d3000.2025.1038 http://dentistry3000.pitt.edu 2 were stained after chromogenic treatment [9]. We counted the positive cytoplasmic stain- ing cells to quantify the studied marker in each slide of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Furthermore, a score corresponding to the staining intensity was assigned, as indicated in Table 1. At the same time, two pathologists assessed each slide [10-14]. Table 1. Scoring system of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Num- ber (score) 0 (neg- ative) 1%– 25% (1) 26%– 50% (2) 51%– 75% (3) 76%– 100% (4) Inten- sity 0 = no posi- tive cells + = mild ++ = mod- erate + 3 = strong + 3 = strong Results The main characteristics of the case study show that included 17 males with the mean age 47.1±13.15 and 13 females with the mean age 38.65±22.15. Eight cases had a high grade, 11 moderate, and 11 a low grade. VEGF was expressed in all cases as displayed in Tables 2 and 3. Cytoplasmic expression +1 was found in 2 cases and +4 in 28 cases. Ex- pression and intensity of VEGF between these two types of cases were different (Fig- ure 2). Table 2. Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in mucoepidermopid carcinoma via immunohistochemistry. Score 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 Malignant mucoepi- dermoid 0 2 0 0 28 Table 3. Intensity of VEGF expression in mu- coepidermoid carcinoma via immunohisto- chemistry. Mild Moderate Strong Total 0 3 27 30 Seventeen mucoepidermoid carcinomas were classiMied as having high grade, 11 moderate, and only 4 low grade. Figure 1. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma secNons showing strong VEGF expression [peroxidade (brown) immunostaining, counterstained with hematoxylin (blue). Discussion/Conclusion A role for VEGF in the transformation of ma- lignant cells is suggested by the elevated ex- pression of the marker in malignant tumors. Reducing VEGF synthesis may contribute to the understanding of the signiMicant correla- tion observed between VEGF expression and tumor angiogenesis. References 1. Neville BW, Damm DD, Allen CM, Bouguot JE. Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology. (4th ed) 2016:444–8. 454–7, 462–4. 2. 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