Assessment of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 in Gastric Adenocarcinoma at the Jos University Teaching Hospital: A Ten-year Retrospective Study

Abstract Background: Gastric cancer (GC) represents a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors of the stomach and remains a significant contributor to global cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Over 90% of gastric cancers are adenocarcinomas. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 (VEGFR2) plays a critical role in tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Anti-VEGFR2 agents, such as ramucirumab and apatinib, have demonstrated favorable outcomes in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Objective: To evaluate VEGFR2 expression in gastric carcinoma and determine its relationship with histopathological parameters. Methodology: This was a descriptive, retrospective cross-sectional study involving 95 histologically confirmed cases of gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed at Jos University Teaching Hospital between 2012 and 2021. Tumors were classified according to the Lauren and World Health Organization (WHO) classification systems, graded histologically, and analyzed for VEGFR2 expression using immunohistochemistry. Results: The mean age of patients was 53.5 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. The gastric antrum was the most commonly affected site (74.8%). The intestinal type was the predominant histological subtype (65.3%), while the diffuse type accounted for 34.7%. Well-differentiated tumors were the most frequent grade (30.5%). VEGFR2 expression was positive in 78 (82.1%) of cases. A statistically significant association was observed between VEGFR2 expression and both histologic grade and Lauren classification. Conclusion: VEGFR2 expression was higher in diffuse-type and moderately to poorly differentiated tumors. Its significant association with histologic grade suggests that patients with these pathological features may benefit from targeted anti-VEGFR2 therapy.