title: Immunohistochemical comparative analysis of lymphatic vessel density and VEGF-C expression in squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue between young and old patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity is a malignant epithelial tumor that most commonly involves the tongue, and mainly affects men between the fifth and seventh decades of life. This study compared the lymphatic vessel density and VEGF-C expression in SCCs of the tongue between young and old patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four SCCs of the tongue, 17 diagnosed in young patients (≤40y) and 17 diagnosed in old patients (>50y), were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Lymphatic microdensity was determined based on the number of vessels immunoreactive to anti-D2-40 antibody. The percentage of neoplastic cells exhibiting cytoplasmic staining for VEGF-C was established for each case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assessment of intratumoral lymphatic microdensity (ILMD) disclosed a median number of 6.20 lymphatic vessels in young patients and of 6.60 in old patients (p=0.809). Analysis of peritumoral lymphatic microdensity (PLMD) revealed a median number of 3.60 lymphatic vessels in young patients and of 3.40 in old patients (p=0.769). In the tumor core, analysis of the percentage of immunopositive cells for VEGF-C revealed a median number of 95.95% in young patients and of 55.48% in old patients (p<0.001). In the deep invasive front, the median number of immunopositive cells for VEGF-C was 97.93% in young patients and 66.09% in old patients (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that the more aggressive biological behavior of SCC of the tongue in young patients may be related to a higher expression of VEGF-C.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil. Electronic address: jamilemarinho@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jamile
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinho Bezerra de Oliveira Moura
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Costa
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Souza Martins Câmara
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cassiano Francisco
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Weege Nonaka
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leão Pereira
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lélia Batista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
keywords: Immunohistochemistry; Lymphangiogenesis; Squamous cell carcinoma; Tongue; Young adults