BACKGROUND: Oesophageal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis as a result of early lymph node metastasis. AIMS: To measure lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in the neoplastic progression from Barrett's metaplasia to adenocarcinoma and determine whether LVD can predict the risk of cancer. In addition, to correlate LVD with lymph node metastasis and assess whether LVD could be used as a prognostic indicator for outcome or survival. METHODS: LVD and microvascular density (MVD) were assessed after immunohistochemical staining of vessels in Barrett's metaplasia, dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma tissues and were correlated with clinicopathological features. RESULTS: LVD was significantly reduced in adenocarcinoma, being half that seen in normal stomach/oesophagus or metaplasia/dysplasia. LVD did not correlate with tumour grade, stage, or clinical outcome; however, patients who had either lymph node metastasis or invasion of tumour cells into peritumorous lymphatic vessels had a significantly worse overall survival. MVD was also assessed as a prognostic marker; its increase appeared to be linked more with the development of Barrett's metaplasia than adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in lymphatic vessel numbers was not useful for determining disease outcome in the patient group studied. It is the entry of tumour cells into pre-existing peritumorous lymphatic vessels that confers a significantly worse overall survival.
BACKGROUND:Oesophageal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis as a result of early lymph node metastasis. AIMS: To measure lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in the neoplastic progression from Barrett's metaplasia to adenocarcinoma and determine whether LVD can predict the risk of cancer. In addition, to correlate LVD with lymph node metastasis and assess whether LVD could be used as a prognostic indicator for outcome or survival. METHODS: LVD and microvascular density (MVD) were assessed after immunohistochemical staining of vessels in Barrett's metaplasia, dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma tissues and were correlated with clinicopathological features. RESULTS: LVD was significantly reduced in adenocarcinoma, being half that seen in normal stomach/oesophagus or metaplasia/dysplasia. LVD did not correlate with tumour grade, stage, or clinical outcome; however, patients who had either lymph node metastasis or invasion of tumour cells into peritumorous lymphatic vessels had a significantly worse overall survival. MVD was also assessed as a prognostic marker; its increase appeared to be linked more with the development of Barrett's metaplasia than adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in lymphatic vessel numbers was not useful for determining disease outcome in the patient group studied. It is the entry of tumour cells into pre-existing peritumorous lymphatic vessels that confers a significantly worse overall survival.
Authors: S J Mandriota; L Jussila; M Jeltsch; A Compagni; D Baetens; R Prevo; S Banerji; J Huarte; R Montesano; D G Jackson; L Orci; K Alitalo; G Christofori; M S Pepper Journal: EMBO J Date: 2001-02-15 Impact factor: 11.598
Authors: Timothy P Padera; Ananth Kadambi; Emmanuelle di Tomaso; Carla Mouta Carreira; Edward B Brown; Yves Boucher; Noah C Choi; Douglas Mathisen; John Wain; Eugene J Mark; Lance L Munn; Rakesh K Jain Journal: Science Date: 2002-04-25 Impact factor: 47.728
Authors: Reginald V N Lord; Ji Min Park; Kumari Wickramasinghe; Steven R DeMeester; Stefan Oberg; Dennis Salonga; Jon Singer; Jeffrey H Peters; Kathleen D Danenberg; Tom R Demeester; Peter V Danenberg Journal: J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Date: 2003-02 Impact factor: 5.209
Authors: Merja I Auvinen; Eero I T Sihvo; Terhi Ruohtula; Jukka T Salminen; Aki Koivistoinen; Päivi Siivola; Ragna Rönnholm; Juhani O Rämö; Mathias Bergman; Jarmo A Salo Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2002-07-01 Impact factor: 44.544