Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C and vascular endothelial growth factor-D in gastric carcinoma tissue and relationship with lymph vessel density and lymph node metastasis

Objective To detect the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-C and VEGF-D in normal gastric tissue and gastric carcinoma tissue,and further investigate the relationship between VEGF-C,VEGF-D and lymph vessel density (LVD),lymph node metastasis.Methods The expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in gastric carcinoma tissues were examined by using SP immunohistochemical method in 30 normal gastric tissue and 75 gastric carcinoma tissue respectively.The lymph vessel were marked by LYVE-1 and calculated LVD.Results The rate of positive expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in gastric carcinoma tissue was significantly higher than that in normal gastric tissue,there was significant difference [73.3 ％ (55/75) vs.33.3 ％ (10/30),66.7 ％ (50/75) vs.30.0 ％ (9/30),P ＜0.01].The level of LVD in gastric carcinoma tissue with lymph node metastasis (40 cases) was significantly higher than that in without lymph node metastasis (35 cases)[(8.85 ± 1.24)/HP vs.(4.75 ± 1.04)/HP](P =0.000).The level of LVD increased when the expression level of VEGF-C and VEGF-D gradually went up.Conclusions The level of LVD increases in gastric carcinoma tissue.VEGF-C and VEGF-D are two significant factors for LVD and lymph node metastasis. Key words: Stomach neoplasms; Vascular endothelial growth factor-C; Vascular endothelial growth factor-D; Lymph vessel density; Lymph node metastasis