Mast Cell and VEGF Profile in Canine Soft Tissue Tumors

Canine soft tissue sarcomas are a complex group with a higher tendency for invasion and metastasis, making them challenging to treat. Although there are many different subtypes of these tumors, they are grouped under a single group called "soft tissue tumors", along with benign ones, because of their common mesenchymal features and morphological similarities. In addition to promoting tumor angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis the tumor microenvironment, which includes mast cells, also mediates the mechanism of therapeutic resistance. In this study, the presence and relationships of mast cells with VEGF in benign and malignant soft tissue tumors were investi-gated. As a result, mast cells were found in significantly higher numbers in malignant tumors than benign tumors. The immunostaining scores in malignant tumors were also higher in the VEGF analyses performed for the interpretation of angiogenesis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, angiogenesis and mast cells in canine soft tissue tumors are poorly characterized. This study revealed that mast cell and VEGF scores are greater in malignant tumors than benign tumors and can be used as a prognostic marker. However, no link between mast cells and VEGF immune expressions was found.