Role of intratumoral lymphatic vessels in the lymph node dissemination of laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The development of new markers for lymphatic endothelium allowed the study of intratumoral lymphatic microcirculation, as well as its association with lymph node metastasis.


METHODS
In all, 120 patients with laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LPSCC) without previous treatment were retrospectively studied. The immunohistochemical determination of PA2.26 antigen/podoplanin was used to assess intratumoral lymphatic vessels (ILVs) in the primary tumor.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis was associated with tumor location (p = .001), differentiation grade (p = .02), and ILV (p = .013). Hypopharyngeal and supraglottic locations, poor grade of differentiation, and ILV, respectively, increased the risk of developing lymph node metastasis 13.5-, 4.7-, 5.2-, and 3.2-fold.


CONCLUSIONS
In our series, the presence of ILV in the primary tumor was an independent risk factor for the development of lymph node metastasis. The incorporation of ILV assessment into routine clinicopathological study might improve the evaluation of patients with LPSCC.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. ahinojargut@yahoo.es
Adolfo
A
Hinojar-Gutiérrez
María Encarnación
ME
Fernández-Contreras
Solssireé
S
Alvarez-Carrillo
Miguel
M
Quintanilla
Carlos
C
Gamallo
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*