The relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor C and recurrence following curative resection of pancreatic cancer / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and clinicopathologic indexes in predicting recurrence following curative resection of pancreatic cancer. Methods The expressions of VEGF-C of 47 patients who underwent curative resection for curative pancreatic cancer resection were detected by Envision immunohistochemical methods. The effects of VEGF-C and clinicopathologic indexes on recurrence were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model. Results The positive rates of VEGF-C were 61. 7% in = 29) and 14. 9%(n = 7), respectively, in pancreatic cancer and normal pancreatic tissues. The positive expression of VEGF-C in pancreatic carcinoma was obviously higher than the normal pancreatic tissues (P = 0. 018). The median disease-free survival time was 11. 9 months, the average disease-free survival time was 18. 4 + 2. 4 months, and the cumulative 1-year, 2-year and 3-year actuarial recurrence free survival rates were 46. 8%, 23. 4%, 14. 4%, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the VEGF-C expression and lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer (P = 0. 036). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, VEGF-C (P = 0. 020), tumor diameter (P = 0. 013), age (P = 0. 057) and adjuvant chemotherapy (P=0. 017) were associated with disease-free survival time. Multivariate analysis showed VEGF-C (P = 0. 009), tumor diameter (P = 0. 010) and adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0. 017)were independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival after surgery for pancreatic cancer.Conclusion The expression of VEGF-C was higher in pancreatic cancer, and VEGF-C was correlated with lymph node metastasis. VEGF-C was the biomarker that independently predicted disease-free survival after surgery for pancreatic cancer.