Expression and significance of vascular endothelial growth factor-C in lymph fluid, serum and tissue of esophageal cancer / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C(VEGF-C ) in tissue, serum and lymph fluid in esophageal cancer patients, and the relationship between its expression and tumor lymphatic metastasis. Methods Expressions of VEGF-C in 76 cases of ESC was detected by immunohisto-chemical SP method and VEGF-C levels in lymph fluid and serum were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Positive immunostaining of VEGF-C in esophageal cancer tissue was 63.1%,The expression of VEGF-C in tissue was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage ( P<0.01, P<0.05 respectively), but not to patient age, tumor length or differentiation; VEGF-C in lymph fluid is significantly higher than in serum( P<0.05) ; The expression of VEGF-C in lymph fluid end serum were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis( P<0.05). Conclusion There are cliuical significance between VEGF-C expression and lymph node metastasis、TNM stage in tissue of esophageal cancer. The level of VFGF-C in lymph fluid is higher than that in serum, both associate with lymph-node metastasis closely.