title: Expression of vascular endothelial growth factors VEGF- C and D, VEGFR-3, and comparison of lymphatic vessels density labeled with D2-40 antibodies as a prognostic factors in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) and invasive vulvar cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factors VEGF-C and D, as well as the expression of VEGFR-3 in VIN and vulvar invasive cancer and to compare the density of lymphatic marker D2-40 antibody in both groups, and to compare them with different clinicopathologic features.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed using tissue material and clinical data from 100 women diagnosed with VIN and 100 women diagnosed with invasive vulvar cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found in the expression of VEGF-C and -D or VEGFR-3 between those patients with VIN and those with invasive vulvar cancers. Weak expression of VEGF-C was confirmed only in two cases of the analyzed series; in all cases, expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 was observed. The strongest expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 was observed in the group of invasive cancers. The highest density of lymphatic vessels per 2 mm was observed in VIN. In the cancer group, small lymphatic vessels with a narrow oval lumen were observed. Moreover, in two cases of vulvar cancer, the presence of intratumoral lymphatic vessels was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that lymphangiogenesis begins at the preinvasive stage of vulvar carcinogenesis and suggests the important role of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and LV (D2-40) as prognostic factors in the process of carcinogenesis in the vulvar area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical College of Jagiellonian University, Cracow University Hospital, Cracow, Poland. jach@cm-uj.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jach
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dyduch
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radon-Pokracka
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Przybylska
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mika
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dulinska-Litewka
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zajac
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huras
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Streb
authors.forename: Klaudia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stangel-Wojcikiewicz
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dziadek
authors.forename: Bartlomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galarowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3