Prognostic significance of the microvascular count in colorectal cancer.

Abstract

The number of microvessels measurable in tumor biopsies seems to be a prognostic predictor independent of Dukes' stage in colorectal cancer. However, our results are opposite to the findings in other tumor types investigated so far; we found that a high microvascular count predicted a longer survival time, rather than a shorter one. Determination of the microvascular count can be of importance in therapy selection even before, or immediately after, surgery, ie, before Dukes' stage is known.