Relationship Among the Expression of VEGF-C, Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphatic Metastasis in Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

[ Objective ] To study the relationship among the proliferation and distribution of lymphatic vessels, the expression of VEGF-C and the metastasis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. [Methods] The expression of VEGF-C, the proliferation and distribution of peri-tumor lymphatic vessels in 22 cases were studied by RT-PCR, immunochemistry and enzyme -histochemistry. Image and statistic analysis were used to study the relationships between metastasis and expression of VEGF-C. [Results] The parameters of peri-tumor lymphatic vessels in the VEGF-C positive group were higher than that in the negative group (P 0. 01). In the group of metastasis, the expression of VEGF-C and the density of peri-lymphatic vessels were higher than that in the group of non-metastasis. [Conclusion] The expression of VEGF-C is correlated with the density of peri-tumor lymphatic vessels and metastasis of local lymphatic node.