Association of serum vascular endothelial growth factor-C and lymphatic vessel density with lymph node metastasis and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether serum vascular endothelial growth factor-C (SVEGF-C), VEGF-C, and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in tumor tissues are related to lymph node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis in gastric cancer.


METHODS
SVEGF-C levels of 80 gastric cancer patients and 20 healthy donors were examined using ELISA. VEGF-C expression and LVD were examined using immunohistochemical staining. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to determine their influence on the prognosis of the patients.


RESULTS
The SVEGF-C level in gastric cancer patients (595.9 +/- 201.0 ng/L) was significantly higher (P = 0.000) than controls (360.0 +/- 97.4 ng/L). Both SVEGF-C and LVD were significantly higher in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, T3 and T4, LNM, distant metastasis, and pTNM groups III and IV (P = 0.000). The sensitivity and specificity of SVEGF-C for predicting LNM were 82.8% and 81.8%, respectively (cut-off = 542.5 ng/L). The positive expression rate of VEGF-C was significantly higher in cancerous than in normal tissues (65% vs 20%; P = 0.001). VEGF-C expression up-regulation was significantly related to differentiation, depth of invasion, LNM, distant metastasis, and pTNM stage (P = 0.000). LVD was 10.7 +/- 3.1/200 HP in the experimental group vs 4.9 +/- 1.3/200 HP in controls (P = 0.000); LVD in cancerous tissues with and without LNM was 12.0 +/- 2.7/200 HP vs 7.6 +/- 0.5/200 HP, respectively (P = 0.000). SVEGF-C and LVD were significantly higher in VEGF-C positive than in negative patients (P = 0.000); SVEGF-C level was related to LVD (P = 0.000). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis factors predicating poor prognosis were: SVEGF-C level (P = 0.001), VEGF-C expression and LVD (both P = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
SVEGF-C level, VEGF-C and LVD are related to LNM and poor prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. SVEGF-C may be a biomarker for LNM in gastric cancer.
Wang
Tian-Bao
TB
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China.
Deng
Mei-Hai
MH
Qiu
Wan-Shou
WS
Dong
Wen-Guang
WG
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C