[Clinicopathological study of lymphatic vessel density and distribution in pancreatic cancer].
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.
Jin
Gang
G
Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. Jingang@sh163.net
Hu
Xian-gui
XG
Liu
Rui
R
Zhang
Yi-jie
YJ
Shao
Cheng-hao
CH
Tang
Yan
Y
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*