The expression of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 and its predictive value on lymph node metastasis and prognosis of gastric cancer / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>s To investigate the relationship between the expression of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the gastric cancer, and explore the role of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 in the prognosis of gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Gastric cancer specimens were selected from gastric cancer database from April, 1994 to December, 2003, which were registered and followed up. The specimens were divided into two groups according to LNM existing or not. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed with anti-VEGF-C, anti-VEGFR-3 monoclonal antibody by DAB method. Their effects on prognosis of gastric cancer patients were analyzed by Kaplan-meier, Logistic and Cox Regression methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 188 cases of gastric cancer patients, 97 patients presented with LNM and the rest did not. The positive expression rate of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 in the group without LNM was lower than those in group with LNM, and there was significant difference between the two groups. There was significant difference in the average lymphatic vessel density between the group with LNM and the group without, and the same results were found between the group with positive VEGF-C expression and the group without.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 are over-expressed in gastric cancer patients with LNM, and the expression of VEGF-C, VEGFR-3 are important predictors for the prognosis of gastric cancer.</p>