Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C in primary cutaneous melanoma predicts sentinel lymph node positivity.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), a lymphatic vessel growth factor, has been involved in the formation of lymph nodal metastases in different tumor types. Early evidences indicate that VEGF-C expression in human primary melanoma could be predictive of lymph nodal metastases, whereas the role of lymphangiogenesis is still controversial.


METHODS
By immunohistochemical analysis, we investigated VEGF-C or CC chemokine receptor 7 expression, together with the lymphatic and blood vessel network, in 36 patients with primary skin melanomas and metastases at the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN-positive), and 26 melanoma patients with negative SLN biopsy (SLN-negative).


RESULTS
We found that VEGF-C expression in primary melanoma specimens was significantly associated with SLN-positive (p < 0.001), particularly in thin melanomas. An association between augmented peritumoral lymphatic vessel area and SLN-positive (p < 0.02) was also seen. Conversely, no association between either expression of the CC chemokine receptor 7 in the primary tumor, or intratumoral lymphatic vessel or peritumoral and intratumoral blood vessel area, and SLN-positive was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results, taking into account the expression of either VEGF-C or related histopathological markers, indicated the possibility to use VEGF-C immunohistochemistry as a marker of metastatic progression, especially in thin cutaneous melanomas.
Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Francesca
F
Cianfarani
Simona
S
Mastroeni
Teresa
T
Odorisio
Francesca
F
Passarelli
Caterina
C
Cattani
Thomas J
TJ
Mannooranparampil
Cristina
C
Fortes
Cristina M
CM
Failla
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C515370:CCR7 protein, human; D054400:Receptors, CCR7; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C