Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor C is related to lymphogenous metastasis in early gastric carcinoma

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is considered to be potential ly lymphangiogenic and can selectively induce hyperplasia of the lymphatic vasculature. In this study, we clarified the clinicopathological features o f early gastric carcinoma (EGC) that has metastasized to the lymph nodes, a s well as the correlation between lymphogenous metastases in EGC and the ex pression of VEGF-C and VEGF. We selected 35 cases of lymph node metastasis- positive [n(+)] EGC and 70 cases of lymph node metastasis-negative [n(-)] E GC for the present study. The expression of VEGF and VEGF-C was investigate d with immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies against VEG F and VEGF-C. Clinicopathologically, there were significant differences in median size (4.1 +/- 2.4 vs. 2.4 +/- 1.7 cm), lymphatic invasion (54 vs. 4% ) and venous invasion (23 vs. 3%) between n(+) EGC and n(-) EGG. Immunohist ochemically, the incidence of positive expression of VEGF-C in lymphatic in vasion-positive EGC (36%) was significantly higher than that in lymphatic i nvasion-negative EGC (14%). The incidence of positive expression of VEGF-C in n(+) or venous invasion-positive EGC tended to be higher than that in n( -) or venous invasion-negative EGG. In conclusion, lymphatic invasion was s ignificantly increased in VEGF-C-positive EGG. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.