Prognostic significance of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF-C in gastric carcinoma

Background and Objectives: Angiogenic factors play a major role in tumor gr owth and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the prognosti c significance of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEG F) and VEGF-C in gastric carcinoma. Methods: Formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded sections of tumor tissue were obtained from 76 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric c arcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF and VEGF-C was performed. Results: VEGF and VEGF-C were positively expressed in 39 and 45% of the pat ients, respectively. No correlation existed between VEGF and VEGF-C express ions. VEGF expression was significantly correlated with venous invasion. VE GF-C expression was significantly correlated with lymphatic and venous inva sion. Patients with positive staining for VEGF showed a significantly lower survival rate than VEGF negative patients. After subdivision, according to the combination of VEGF and VEGF-C expression, VEGF-C expression had a sig nificant unfavorable impact on prognosis among patients with negative stain ing for VEGF. The expression of VEGF and/or VEGF-C was independent prognost ic determinant by the multivariate survival analysis. Conclusions: The positive expression for VEGF and/or VEGF-C was an importan t prognostic determinant after curative gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. VEGF-C may stimulate the tumor progression in the absence of VEGF. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;78:132-137. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.