Wen Y, Yu D, Wang C, Li L, Wang X, Tang X, Fu F
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences.
Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2001 Feb;19(1):5-8.
Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is known to be capable of inducing cell proliferation of lymphatic endothelia and development of lymphatic vessels. Thus, in the current study the expression of VEGF-C was investigated to understand the mechanism of lymphatic metastasis of oral cancer.
VEGF-C protein expression in benign and malignant oral lesions was investigated with an immunohistochemical staining assay, followed by light microscopic examination and image analysis.
Immunohistostaining of VEGF-C was observed in normal, benign and malignant epithelia, as well as in some lymphatic vessels. The VEGF-C positive rate was significantly higher in squamous carcinomas than in normal tissues and benign lesions. It was also noted that in squamous carcinomas the expression level of VEGF-C correlated well with pathological grades and stages of lymph node metastasis, but not with clinical grades.
These findings suggest that VEGF-C may promote lymphatic metastasis of oral cancer, and it is possible to be used as a predictor for the lymphatic metastasis and prognosis of oral cancer.
