Expression and Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C,D in Advanced Gastric Cancer

Objective To clarify expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C,D(VEGF-C,D) and its relationship with lymph node metastasis in advanced gastric carcinoma.Methods We classified 88 patients with advanced gastric carcinoma which were treated as gastrectomy at department of gastroenterology,into two groups(positive and negative for lymph node metastasis),while,10 specimens of normal gastric mucosa were used as the control group.Simultaneously,the expression of VEGF-C and D protein in advanced gastric carcinoma tissues obtained from 88 patients who underwent gastrectomy and in normal gastric tissues obtained from 10 healthy subjects was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results VEGF-C and D protein were expressed in 52%,62.5% of patients,respectively.The VEGF-C and D rate in gastric carcinoma was much higher than that in the control group(P0.05).There was significant correlation between the expression of VEGF-C(but not of VEGF-D)and lymph node metastasis(P0.01).Logistic regression analysis also showed relationship between VEGF-C expression in gastric carcinoma and lymph node metastasis(P0.001).Conclusion The expression of VEGF-C(but not of VEGF-D) closely correlates to lymph node metastasis of advanced gastric carcinoma.The expression positive rate of VEGF-C and D is high in advanced gastric carcinoma.