Intratumoral lymphatics and lymphatic vessel invasion detected by D2-40 are essential for lymph node metastasis in bladder transitional cell carcinoma.

Bladder cancer is frequently associated with regional lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis or after initial treatment, and lymph node metastasis is crucial for clinical therapeutic strategies. Lymphangiogenesis, detected by antibodies specific for lymphatic endothelial cells, is correlated with cancer spread, but the mechanisms that underlie lymphatic spread and the role of lymphangiogenesis in cancer metastasis has been less clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D expression, intratumoral lymphatics, and lymphatic invasion associated with lymph node metastasis as well as the prognostic analysis in patients with bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). The VEGF-D expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 72 specimens, and tumoral lymphatic vessels were measured by D2-40. Counts of lymph vessels were taken in intratumoral and peritumoral areas. Survival analyses and their independent roles were investigated using univariate and multivariate analysis models. The high expression of VEGF-D was closely associated with the intratumoral lymphatic vessels, tumoral lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis as well as a shorter overall survival. Higher lymphatic vessel density, intratumoral lymphatics, and lymphatic invasion showed a significant association with lymph node metastasis. Univariate analysis indicated that VEGF-D, intratumoral lymphatics, and lymphatic invasion were associated with overall survival, but they were not independent prognostic factors for bladder TCC in multivariate analysis. We conclude that VEGF-D plays an essential role in tumoral lymphangiogenesis. Intratumoral lymphatics and lymphatic invasion are important predictive factors of pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with bladder cancer.