Relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor and Notch1 expression and lymphatic metastasis in tongue cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of angiogenesis in lymph node metastasis and the depth of invasion in early tongue cancer.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


METHODS
The study included 51 subjects with tongue cancer. Immunohistochemical staining for vascular endothelial growth factor, Notch1, and Notch3 was performed. Microvessel density was evaluated by counting the number of CD34-stained microvessels in each pathologic specimen.


RESULTS
Significant correlations were found between vascular endothelial growth factor and Notch1 expression and cervical lymph node metastasis (P = 0.020 and P < 0.009, respectively), tumor depth of invasion (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and microvessel density indicated by CD34 staining (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Nodal metastasis (P = 0.022), T stage (P = 0.002), and positive VEGF expression (P = 0.044) were statistically significant prognostic factors for disease-specific survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular endothelial growth factor and Notch1 expression are significantly related to cervical lymph node metastasis and depth of invasion in tongue cancer patients.
Joo
Young-Hoon
YH
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jung
Chan-Kwon
CK
Kim
Min-Sik
MS
Sun
Dong-Il
DI