Cancers and diabetes mellitus are among the most common human pathologies, with an increase in morbidity every year. To this date, a relationship of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) with increased risk of development and progression of cancer of many localizations has been established, nevertheless the data on the impact of DM2 on the course of bladder cancer are contradictory.

OBJECTIVE

To study the features of expression of angiogenic proteins — vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (CD31), to evaluate their gender specificity in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, developing in addition to type 2 diabetes mellitus 2, compared with these indicators in bladder cancer emerging without comorbid pathology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on material of 40 patients of both sexes with a verified urothelial non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who were treated at «NMRC for Oncology» (Rostov-on-Don) from 2017 to 2022. Monoclonal mouse antibodies to VEGF and CD31 were used for immunohistochemical analysis. Percentage of tumor cells expressing VEGF and number of vessels stained with CD31 marker were determined.

RESULTS

A statistically significant exceedance of VEGF expression level by 2.8 times has been noted in patients of the group with DM2 compared to women in the same group (p=0.002) and men without comorbid pathology (p=0.001). The number of CD31-stained vessels was 1.3 times (p=0.042) higher in women of the same group than in men, and 3 times (p=0.009) higher in women without comorbid pathology.

CONCLUSION

The revealed gender specificity of expression of angiogenesis markers in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, developing in addition to type 2 diabetes mellitus, can be considered for the prediction of risk of development and progression of this pathology.