ANGIOGENESIS AS AN UNFAVORABLE FACTOR-RELATED TO LYMPH-NODE METASTASIS IN EARLY GASTRIC-CANCER

Background: Recent studies suggest that angiogenesis enhances tumor gr owth and metastasis. Lymph node metastasis influences the prognosis an d selection of treatment modalities in cancers. In this study, the aut hors investigated the correlation between angiogenesis and clinicopath ologic features to determine whether angiogenesis correlated with lymp h node metastasis in early-stage gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 9 7 specimens from patients with early gastric cancer were studied by im munohistochemical methods using anti-Factor VIII-related antigen antib ody. Results: Tumor size was significantly correlated with microvessel count, which increased as tumor size increased. Microvessel counts fr om tumors with lymphatic vessel invasion, lymph node metastasis, and s ubmucosal invasion were significantly higher than those without. Furth ermore, microvessel count was an independent factor that influenced ly mph node metastasis (P = .0016) by multivariate logistic regression an alysis. Conclusion: In the early stage of gastric carcinoma, angiogene sis is an independent factor that impacts on lymph node metastasis.