Correlation studies of VEGF-C/D and its receptor with lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

The lymphatic vessel is a crucial pathway for tumor metastasis. The discovery of more lymphatic growth factors and lymphatic vessel markers signifies the significant progress of studies on the role of vascular endothelial growth factor-C/D (VEGF-C/D) and one of its specific receptors in the mechanisms of tumor lymph-angiogenesis and lymph node metastasis. VEGF-C/D expression is related to the clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer, including lymph metastasis, micro-lymphatic vessel density in the paraneo-plastic tissues, survival rate, and prognosis. Experimental animal models and in vitro experiments show that suppression of VEGF-C/D expression is beneficial in gastric cancer treatment. This article provides an overview of the association between VEGF-C/D and lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.