Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma lymphatic spread and survival: Relevance of vascular endothelial growth factor family for tumor evaluation.
BACKGROUND
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is primarily a locoregional disease in which the cervical lymph nodes are the chief site of metastasis. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lymphangiogenesis and clinicopathological aspects of HNSCC and its metastasis.


METHODS
Fifty-two patients with HNSCC and metastatic lymph nodes from 21 of these subjects were analyzed by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The HNSCC samples were predominantly negative for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)3. There was an association between the density of lymph vessels (measured by D2-40 staining) in the lymph nodes and advanced-stage tumors. There was no link between the expression of these proteins and survival rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Although lymphatic spread is a significant event in the progression of HNSCC, the expression of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and VEGFR3 does not correlate with clinicopathological characteristics, suggesting that other signaling pathways mediate lymphangiogenesis in HNSCC.
Department of Pathology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Elen Alves
EA
de Sousa
Department of General Pathology, Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Silvia Vanessa
SV
Lourenço
Department of Pathology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Flávia Paiva Prudente
FP
de Moraes
Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
José Guilherme
JG
Vartanian
Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
João
J
Gonçalves-Filho
Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Luiz Paulo
LP
Kowalski
Department of Pathology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.|Department of General Pathology, Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Fernando Augusto
FA
Soares
Department of Pathology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cláudia Malheiros
CM
Coutinho-Camillo
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015996:Survival Rate; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C581309:FLT4 protein, human; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3
D2-40; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; lymphangiogenesis; vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family