Intratumoral lymphatic vessels and VEGF-C expression are predictive factors of lymph node relapse in T1-T4 N0 laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The presence of intratumoral lymphatic vessels (ILVs) and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in tumour cells have been studied as markers of lymphangiogenesis in order to evaluate their role in metastatic dissemination in laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
A retrospective study was performed in 76 patients of N0 laryngopharyngeal carcinoma. with variable tumour size (T1-T4), histological grade, and location (supraglottic, glottic and hypopharyngeal). The presence of ILVs, as revealed by the expression of PA2.26 antigen and VEGF-C expression, were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Low-grade and high-grade lymphangiogenesis were defined by qualitative and quantitative criteria.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis revealed low-grade ILV and VEGF-C expression to be associated respectively with 30.3- and 16.2-fold higher probabilities of cervical lymph node relapse (P = 0.005 and P = 0.032) and with 16.2- and 8.44-fold shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.009 and P = 0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
Low-grade ILV and VEGF-C expression are independent predictive factors of cervical lymph node relapse and shortening of time to relapse in N0 laryngopharyngeal carcinoma.
Hinojar-Gutiérrez
Adolfo
A
Department of Otorhynolaryngology, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain.
Fernández-Contreras
María-Encarnación
ME
González-González
Rocío
R
Fernández-Luque
María-Jesús
MJ
Hinojar-Arzadún
Adolfo
A
Quintanilla
Miguel
M
Gamallo
Carlos
C
D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000032:analysis*
D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide)