Relationship Of VEGF-C And Its Receptor (VEGFR-3) With Invasion And Metastasis Of Gastric Carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the relationship of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF-C) and its receptor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor(VEGFR-3) with invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma.Methods: Using immunohistochemical staining method to examine the expressions of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in specimens of 52 gastric carcinomas.Results: Positive immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-C protein was observed in 29 of all patients, the positive rate being 55.8%. The VEGF-C antigen was identified in the cytoplasm of cancer cells. The positive expression rate of VEGF-C in lymph-node-positive group was higher than that in lymph node negative group(63.4% vs 27.3% P<0.05). The positive expression rate of VEGF-C in low differentiated adenocarcinoma was conspicuously higher that in high and middle differentiation adenocarcinoma(63.4% vs 34.8%P<0.01). The positive expression of VEGFR-3 was identified in the hyaloplasm of cancer cells. The micro-lymphangiofibroma density(MLD) of VEGFR-3 in positive expression of VEGF-C gastric carcinoma was conspicously higher than that in negative expression(36.18±6.50 vs 16.11 ±4.14P < 0.01). The MLD in lymph-node-positive group(20.20±7.49) that in lymph node negative group(16.45±3.36) P <0.01. TheMLD was conspicuously lower in Ⅰ+Ⅱ pTNM stage(16.11±4.14) than in Ⅲ+Ⅳ(20.85±7.79)P <0.01. The MVD was higher in invasive serosa(21.27±7.64) than in uninvasive serosa(16.95 ±4.95)P <0.05.Conclusion: The expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 is closely related to the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer. The examination of the two indexes is useful for judgement of invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer.