title: Prognostic impact of lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic invasion (CD105 expression) in small cell lung carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphangiogenesis, an essential process in the metastasis of malignant tumors, has not been thoroughly studied. The possibility of using it to define subsets of patients with different prognosis in cancer could be of vital clinical importance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients (5 women, 45 men; mean age, 64.47 years) with SCLC were retrospectively studied. Tumor specimens were stained for CD105, and intratumoral lymphatic microvessel density (ILMVD) and lymphatic invasion were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five patients were diagnosed with limited and 25 with extensive SCLC. All patients received chemotherapy and 32.7% radiation therapy. A direct association between ILMVD (CD105 expression) and lymphatic invasion was observed (p<0.046). CD105 expression was significantly associated with the stage of the disease (p=0.004) and the presence of metastasis (p=0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD105 expression and lymphatic invasion correlated significantly with the clinical parameters and patient outcome, therefore, constituting an important prognostic role in SCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, University of Ioannina, Medical School, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hardavella
authors.forename: Evdokia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arkoumani
authors.forename: Yiotanna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dalavanga
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galanis
authors.forename: Niki J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Agnantis
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Constantopoulos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stefanou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface