Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients With Premalignant Lesions and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Oral Cavity.

To evaluate and compare expression of VEGF in patients of premalignant lesions and squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. The cross sectional observational study is undertaken at the department of otorhionolaryngology and pathology, PGIMER and Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi,from 1st Nov 2017 to 31st March 2019,with a sample size of 30 cases each of premalignant lesions and oral squamous cell carcinoma immunohistochemistry by polymer method. In the participants with oral SCC, VEGF expression of Score 1 was observed in verrucous and well differentiated tumor, Score 2 in moderately differentiated SCC & Score 3 in poorly differentiated SCC with a p value of 0.0001. The observed difference and value of proportion p, is statically significant. In this study we concluded that VEGF expression increases as the lesion progresses from premalignant lesions to oral squamous cell carcinoma and is strongly associated with lymph node status (N-staging). Thus, VEGF can be a target in chemotherapy and its therapeutic implications in the HNSCC needs further research. Levels of Evidence 1A: Systematic review of randomized control trials.