Sedivy Roland, Beck-Mannagetta Johann, Haverkampf C, Battistutti Walter, Hönigschnabl Selma
Department of Pathology, University Hospital Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 8-20, A-090 Vienna, Austria.
J Oral Pathol Med. 2003 Sep;32(8):455-60. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0714.2003.00168.x.
The cause of preferential metastatic spreading to cervical lymph nodes in oral squamous cell cancer (SCC) is not quite clear. As the density of microvessels may influence the metastatic behaviour, we were interested in how the density of blood/lymphatic microvessels are related to primary SCC and the clinical course of the disease.
Lymphatic and blood microvessels of 28 patients with oral SCC were identified immunohistochemically by antibodies against podoplanin and CD34, respectively. Lymphatic microvessel density (LVD) and blood microvessel density (MVD), and the expression of VEGF-C were determined. These findings were compared with the long-term clinicopathological data of the patients.
LVD and MVD were significantly higher than in control tissues. The amount of lymphatic microvessels correlated positively with the expression of VEGF-C, the tumour grade, the nodal status and with later appearing metastasis. The latter three parameters, however, did not influence the clinical course of the disease.
VEGF-C expression in oral SCC triggers lymphatic angiogenesis, which may result in a higher risk for cervical lymph node metastasis. The angiogenetic effect of VEGF-C may also favour the onset of late lymphatic and haematogenous metastases.
口腔鳞状细胞癌（SCC）优先转移至颈部淋巴结的原因尚不完全清楚。由于微血管密度可能影响转移行为，我们对血液/淋巴管微血管密度与原发性SCC及疾病临床进程之间的关系感兴趣。
分别采用抗血小板内皮细胞黏附分子和CD34抗体，通过免疫组织化学方法鉴定28例口腔SCC患者的淋巴管和血管。测定淋巴管微血管密度（LVD）、血管微血管密度（MVD）及血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）的表达。将这些结果与患者的长期临床病理数据进行比较。
LVD和MVD显著高于对照组织。淋巴管数量与VEGF-C表达、肿瘤分级、淋巴结状态及随后出现的转移呈正相关。然而，后三个参数并不影响疾病的临床进程。
口腔SCC中VEGF-C的表达引发淋巴管生成，这可能导致颈部淋巴结转移风险增加。VEGF-C的血管生成作用也可能有利于晚期淋巴管和血行转移的发生。
