Serum VEGF-D Levels And Lymphatic Microvessel Density In Gastric Carcinoma: Correlation With The Lymphatic Metastasis

[Objective) To investigate the relationship between lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD) and clinical pathology of gastric carcinoma; To investigate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) concentration in the serum and lymphatic metastasis in gastric carcinoma. [Methods) The expression of VEGFR-3 in 28 gastric cancers (GC) was detected by immunohistochemistry (SABC), by which the LMVD was calculated. The VEGF-D concentration in serum was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 30 patients with GC and 10 healthy control subjects.[Results] The lymphangiogenesis was shown in peritumoral tissue in GCs. The LMVD of peritumoral tissue in GCs (22.10±6.99)was significantly higher than that of normal gastric tissue (10.625+1.90) (P=0.000). LMVD with lymphatic metastasis (25.43±6.33) was higher than that withoutlymphatic metastasis (16.10±2.93) (P=0.000). LMVD in pTNM in EI+IV(24.88±6.71) was was higher than that in I + II (16.22+2.50) (P= 0.000). LMVD with big turmour (diameter=5cm) (27.18±6.95) was higher than with small tunnour(diameter<5cm) (19.28±5.33 ) (p=0.002).There was significant conelation between VEGF-D in the gastric carcinoma patients (15.83+19J25 pg/ml) and those in control group (6.09±6.18pg/ml) (P= 0.020). However, the levels of serum VEGF-D increased with lymphatic metastasis (20.79±21.71) compared with no lymphatic metastasis(5.92±5.94) (P=0.009).[Conclusion] LMVD shows positive relations with pTNM stage and lymphatic metastasis of GCs. The serum VEGF-D level is associated with clinical pathological lymphatic metastasis and contributes to the development of gastric carcinoma.