The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) expression on clinicopathologic factors in osteosarcomas and chondrosarcomas.

Thirty-five osteosarcomas and 9 chondrosarcomas were assessed for HIF-1 and VEGF expressions with monoclonal antibodies using immunohistochemistry. The pathologic tumor grades are followed the WHO classification.

Nineteen out of 35 osteosarcomas (54.3%) and 8 out of 9 chondrosarcomas (88.9%) showed HIF-1 expressions. The HIF-1 expressions increased with the pulmonary metastasis (p=0.020) and the tumor grades (p=0.016) in only osteosarcomas. Twenty-four out of 35 osteosarcomas (68.6%) and 6 out of 9 chondrosarcomas (66.7%) showed VEGF expressions. The extents of VEGF expression in only osteosarcomas showed positive correlation with the pulmonary metastasis (p=0.024).

The HIF-1 and VEGF appear to be an important role for the development and progression of these two tumors. The HIF-1 expression in osteosarcomas seems to be poor prognostic value including aggressive tumor grades and pulmonary metastasis. The extents of VEGF immunostaining might indicate the possibility of pulmonary metastasis in osteosarcomas. However, the two gene expressions could not indicate the significant prognostic value in chondrosarcomas.