The relationship of mast cells and angiogenesis with prognosis in renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of mast cell count and angiogenesis on the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma. METHODS The retrospective study was conducted at the Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey, and included 64 cases with diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma between 2002 and 2012. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on paraffin sections using the standard streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method. CD31 antibodies were used to identify microvessels in tumoural tissues. The microvessel density was calculated using a serological method. The mean vascular density was equivalent to the vascular surface area (in mm2) per unit tissue volume (in mm3) (MVD = mm3). Mast cells tryptase antibody was used to evaluate the mast cell count in tumoural and non-tumoural tissues. The relationship between mast cell count and microvessel density was evaluated and compared with stage, grade, tumour diameter, and age. RESULTS The mast cell count in the tumoral tissue of renal cell carcinoma was significantly higher compared with non-neoplastic renal tissue (p < 0.001). A significant relationship was found between the mast cell count in tumoral tissue and stage, grade, and tumour diameter (p < 0.001). However, no relation was found with age (p > 0.05). The intratumoural mast cell count in clear cell renal carcinoma was significantly higher compared with non-clear variety (p = 0.001). No significant relationship was found between microvessel density, age, stage, diameter, or grade of the tumour and tumoral mast cell count (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION No significant association was found between the number of mast cells in tumoral tissue and microvessel density. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the effect of mast cells on angiogenesis in renal cell carcinoma.