PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is the most important molecule in lymphangiogenesis and its relationship with lymph node metastasis has attracted considerable interest. We investigated the relationship of VEGF-C or VEGF-A with clinicopathological factors in gastric cancer patients. METHODS: Eighty gastric cancer patients who underwent gastric resection were analyzed immunohistochemically for expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-A protein. RESULTS: Positive immunoreactivity of VEGF-C and VEGF-A was observed in 75 (93.8%) and 41 (51.3%) patients, respectively. VEGF-A expression was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (p=0.0017) and vascular invasion (p=0.0004). And positive relationship of VEGF-C expression was only demonstrated with tumor differentiation (p=0.0168). Interestingly, however, the frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the patients with expression of both VEGF-C and VEGF-A (strong positive expression, p=0.036). Furthermore, the expression of both was also significantly correlated with depth of tumor invasion, tumor differentiation, lymphatic invasion, and vascular invasion. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that strong expression of VEGF-A in addition to VEGF-C expression is essential in lymph node metastasis, presumably because enhanced metastatic potential including lymphangiogenesis induced by both VEGF-A and VEGF-C is vital in lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer.
PURPOSE:Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is the most important molecule in lymphangiogenesis and its relationship with lymph node metastasis has attracted considerable interest. We investigated the relationship of VEGF-C or VEGF-A with clinicopathological factors in gastric cancerpatients. METHODS: Eighty gastric cancerpatients who underwent gastric resection were analyzed immunohistochemically for expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-A protein. RESULTS: Positive immunoreactivity of VEGF-C and VEGF-A was observed in 75 (93.8%) and 41 (51.3%) patients, respectively. VEGF-A expression was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (p=0.0017) and vascular invasion (p=0.0004). And positive relationship of VEGF-C expression was only demonstrated with tumor differentiation (p=0.0168). Interestingly, however, the frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the patients with expression of both VEGF-C and VEGF-A (strong positive expression, p=0.036). Furthermore, the expression of both was also significantly correlated with depth of tumor invasion, tumor differentiation, lymphatic invasion, and vascular invasion. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that strong expression of VEGF-A in addition to VEGF-C expression is essential in lymph node metastasis, presumably because enhanced metastatic potential including lymphangiogenesis induced by both VEGF-A and VEGF-C is vital in lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer.
Authors: Carl C Schimanski; Friederike Schlaegel; Mareike Jordan; Markus Moehler; George Sgourakis; Daniel G Drescher; Peter R Galle; Hauke Lang; Ines Gockel Journal: World J Surg Date: 2011-05 Impact factor: 3.352
Authors: Mansour-S Al-Moundhri; A Al-Shukaili; M Al-Nabhani; B Al-Bahrani; I-A Burney; A Rizivi; S-S Ganguly Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2008-06-28 Impact factor: 5.742