Significance of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in lymphatic metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Objective To analyze the intratumoral and peritumoral microvessel density (MVD) and microlymphatic vessel density (MLVD) in pancreatic cancer and record the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-C and VEGF-D. And to explore the significance of VEGF-C and VEGF-D during the lymphatic metastasis and development of pancreatic cancer. Methods The expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D, VEGF-R3, CD34 were assayed by immunohistochemical staining in 30 cases of pancreatic cancer tissues. Results The positive rates of VEGF-C and VEGF-D protein in the central portion of tumors (30% and 16.7%) were significantly lower than those in the marginal portion (73.3% and 56.7%), P <0.01. The group with high expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in the marginal portion had significantly higher incidences of lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion and venous invasion( P <0. 01 ). MLVD in both of the VEGF-C and VEGF-D positive groups was higher than that in the negative groups( P <0. 01 ), and the lymph node me-tastasis increased. MVD in VEGF-C positive group was significantly higher than that in the negative group. MVD had no significant difference between VEGF-D positive and negative group ( P =0. 07). Conclusions The expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in the marginal portion of tumor is significantly correlated with lym-phatic metastasis in pancreatic cancer patients, and may induce lymphangiogenesis. VEGF-C may play an im-portant role in the regulation of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in pancreatic cancer, and VEGF- D maybe only participate in the regulation of lymphangiogenesis. Key words: Vascular endothelial growth factors;  Pancreatic neoplasms;  Lymphangiogenesis;  Lym-phatic metastasis