title: No association of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and VEGF-C expression with survival in patients with gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) superfamily has been identified to critically influence tumor-related angiogenesis, the prognostic significance of a VEGF expression in gastric cancer is still controversial. Accordingly, the present study analyzed the VEGF-A and VEGF-C expressions and their impact on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred seventy-five consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric adenocarcinoma with a curative intent were enrolled in the present study. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-A and VEGF-C was performed using the formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumor tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive VEGF-A and VEGF-C expressions were observed in 337 (90.1%) and 278 (74.9%) cases, respectively. The survival analysis showed that the expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-C had no effect on the OS and DFS. On the multivariate analysis that included age, gender and the TNM stage, no significant association between the grade of the VEGF-A or VEGF-C expression and survival was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study suggests that the tissue expression of VEGF-A or VEGF-C alone is not an independent prognostic marker for patients with surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology/Hematology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Gwang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Yee Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Joon Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Shi Nae
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Han-Ik
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Ho Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Wansik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu