The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A and -C, and receptors 1 and 3: correlation with lymph node metastasis and prognosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma.
We determined whether the expression of VEGF-A and -C and their receptors, Flt-1 and Flt-4, are associated with primary tumor size, regional lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and prognosis in patients with tongue carcinoma. The expression of VEGF-A and -C, and their receptors, Flt-1 and Flt-4, in biopsy specimens taken from 73 patients with tongue carcinoma were examined by immunohistochemical staining. VEGF-A expression was associated with distant failure and VEGF-C expression correlated with locoregional recurrence and distant failure. Furthermore, VEGF-C expression was associated with lymph node recurrence in N0 cases. Multivariate analysis revealed that VEGF-C expression was an exclusively independent factor influencing lymph node metastasis. In terms of the overall 5-year survival rate, there was no significance correlation between the overall 5-year survival rate and expression of VEGF-A, Flt-1 and Flt-4 expression, whereas there was a significant difference between VEGF-C-positive and VEGF-C-negative cases (VEGF-C-positive, 51.7% vs VEGF-C-negative, 94.2%). Furthermore, there was a significant difference between positive and negative expression for both VEGF-A and VEGF-C. Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis and VEGF-C expression were exclusive, independent factors influencing the overall survival rate. VEGF-C expression may be a predictive factor of regional lymph node recurrence and prognosis in patients with tongue carcinoma.
Tanigaki
Yuji
Y
Department of Biology and Function in the Head and Neck, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. tyuji428@yahoo.co.jp
Nagashima
Yoji
Y
Kitamura
Yoshiaki
Y
Matsuda
Hideki
H
Mikami
Yasukazu
Y
Tsukuda
Mamoru
M
D017677:Age Distribution; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D047368:Tumor Burden; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3