The basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions have been studied individually and in combinations with the factor 8-related antigen (F8RA) in relation to the microvascular density and prognosis of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The findings have revealed that the bFGF, TGF-beta 1 and VEGF expressions all correlated with microvascular density and the prognosis. A reduced expression of all three angiogenic factors correlated with-less tumor angiogenesis and a better prognosis. A multivariate analysis of the three prognostic factors also revealed that the the bFGF expression correlated with survival. These findings indicate that bFGF, TGF-beta 1, and VEGF expressions play important roles in tumor angiogenesis, and that the bFGF expression is a useful prognostic marker for assessing the outcome bf a pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

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