Expression And Significance Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-D And VEGFR-3 In Gastric Carcinoma

[ Objective ] To investigate the relationship between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-D and VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) and pathological features of gastric carcinoma.[Methods] Using immunohistochemical SABC and SP staining to examine the expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 in 68 gastric carcinoma samples and 22 gastric mucosa benign disease samples and to calculate the number of lymph microvessel density ( LMVD ) for a field of vision by 200×under microscope for the latter positive expression.[Results] The positive expression rates of VEGF-D were 63.24% and 13.64% in gastric carcinoma and gastric mucosa benign disease, respectively(P=0. 000). The positive expression rates of VEGF-D in gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastasis and gastric carcinoma without lymph node metastasis were 79.17% and 25.00 %respectively(P=0. 000). 66.67% cases in no differential type group presented VEGF-D positive, higher than that in differential type group(34.38% , P=0.008). The positive expression rates of VEGF-D in gastric carcinoma accompanied with distant metastasis was 1 00.00% , higher than that in gastric carcinoma without distant metastasis(50.00% , P=0. 001). The positive expression rates of VEGF-D in TNM I+II group and III+IV group were 48.28% and 76.92% , respectively(P=0. 0114). The LMVD were(6.1000±2.4238 )in gastric carcinoma and gastric mucosa benign disease tissue, respectively(P=0. 000). The LMVD in gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastasis and gastric carcinoma without lymph node metastasis were (8.2558 + 1.6534) and (2.4561±0.5780), respectively (P=0. 000). The LVD were (8.7745±1.0023) and (3.4546 + 1.2267) in no differential type and differential type group, respectively (P=0.000). The LMVD in TNM I+II group and III+IV group were ( 4.8980±1.8676 ) and (9.1270±1.0485 ), respectively ( P=0.000). VEGF-D was associated LMVD (r_s =0.912).[ Conclusion] VEGF-D stimulates lymphangiogenesis and it may induce clinical-pathological progression of gastric carcinoma .