[Expression and clinical significance of VEGF-C and Flt-4 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) could induce lymphangiogenesis in or around solid tumor, and is closely related with lymphatic metastasis. This study was to investigate the expression and clinical significance of VEGF-C and its receptor fms-like tyrosine kinase-4 (Flt-4) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC).


METHODS
The expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 in 99 specimens of TSCC and 17 specimens of benign tongue epithelial lesions was detected by LSAB immunohistochemistry. The correlations of expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 to the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of TSCC were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positive rates of VEGF-C and Flt-4 were significantly higher in TSCC than in benign tongue epithelial lesion (35.35% vs. 5.88%, and 40.40% vs. 5.88%, P<0.05). The positive rate of VEGF-C was significantly higher in TSCC with cervical lymph node metastasis than in TSCC without metastasis (43.75% vs. 20%, P<0.05), and significantly lower in stage I-II TSCC than in stage III-IV TSCC (18.52% vs. 41.67%, P<0.05). The cumulative 5-year survival rates of the patients with positive expression of either VEGF-C or Flt-4 were significantly lower than those of the patients with negative expression of either VEGF-C or Flt-4 (45.08% vs. 68.25%, and 38.03% vs. 75.46%, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The positive rates of VEGF-C and Flt-4 are significantly higher in TSCC than in benign tongue epithelial lesions. The expression of VEGF-C is correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis and clinical stage. The prognosis of TSCC patients with high expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 is poor.
Li
Qiu-Li
QL
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, P. R. China. lql2206@126.com
Chen
Fu-Jin
FJ
Zeng
Zong-Yuan
ZY
Yang
An-Kui
AK
Wu
Qiu-Liang
QL
Zhang
Hui-Zhong
HZ
Hou
Jing-Hui
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*
D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3