title: [Clinicopathological study of lymphatic vessel density and distribution in pancreatic cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the clinicopathological significance of lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and distribution in pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured LVD in 43 pancreatic cancer specimens by immunostaining with specific lymphatic endothelium marker, and examined their relationship with well-defined clinicopathological variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intratumoral LVD (9.4 +/- 10.0) was significantly lower than periturmoral (16.0 +/- 9.7) (P < 0.001) and nontumoral LVD (13.5 +/- 6.0) (P < 0.01). Increased peritumoral LVD correlated significantly with tumor staging (P < 0.05) and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lymphatic vessels distribution in pancreatic cancer samples and peritumoral lymphangiogenesis may promote the malignant progression and lymph node metastasis of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Jingang@sh163.net
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Xian-gui
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cheng-hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*