Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in human gallbladder cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis

  • Authors:
    • Tetsuya Nakashima
    • Satoshi Kondoh
    • Hideaki Kitoh
    • Hirokazu Ozawa
    • Satoshi Okita
    • Tomohiko Harada
    • Kei Shiraishi
    • Shomei Ryozawa
    • Kiwamu Okita
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 1, 2003     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.11.1.33
  • Pages: 33-39
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Abstract

Lymph node metastasis is a major prognostic factor in human cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is a lymphangiogenic polypeptide that has been implicated in several human solid tumors. However, the clinical significance of VEGF-C has remained unknown in gallbladder carcinoma. Paraffin-embedded tumor specimens of 52 surgically resected gallbladder cancers were immunohistochemically stained for VEGF-C, VEGF, and CD34. The correlations among VEGF-C expression, VEGF expression, microvessel density (MVD), clinicopathologic features, and clinical outcomes were statistically analyzed. Thirty-three (63%) of the 52 gallbladder cancers were highly positive for VEGF-C protein by immunohistochemistry. VEGF-C expression was significantly correlated with lymphatic vessel involvement, lymph node metastasis, and worse outcomes after operation (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively), but not with MVD. By the Cox regression model, lymphatic vessel involvement emerged as an independent prognostic parameter. These results suggest that VEGF-C may play a role in tumor progression via lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis in human gallbladder cancer.

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January 2003
Volume 11 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Nakashima T, Kondoh S, Kitoh H, Ozawa H, Okita S, Harada T, Shiraishi K, Ryozawa S and Okita K: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in human gallbladder cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis. Int J Mol Med 11: 33-39, 2003
APA
Nakashima, T., Kondoh, S., Kitoh, H., Ozawa, H., Okita, S., Harada, T. ... Okita, K. (2003). Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in human gallbladder cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 11, 33-39. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.11.1.33
MLA
Nakashima, T., Kondoh, S., Kitoh, H., Ozawa, H., Okita, S., Harada, T., Shiraishi, K., Ryozawa, S., Okita, K."Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in human gallbladder cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 11.1 (2003): 33-39.
Chicago
Nakashima, T., Kondoh, S., Kitoh, H., Ozawa, H., Okita, S., Harada, T., Shiraishi, K., Ryozawa, S., Okita, K."Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in human gallbladder cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 11, no. 1 (2003): 33-39. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.11.1.33