VEGF-C和VEGFR-3在乳腺癌的表达及其意义

目的探讨血管内皮细胞生长因子VEGFC及其受体VEGFR3在乳腺癌组织中的表达与腋淋巴结转移之间的关系。方法应用免疫组化法检测58例乳腺癌组织标本及10例癌旁对照组织VEGF—C、VEGFR-3的表达,并在淋巴结转移和未转移组间比较其差异。结果VEGF—C和VEGFR-3在乳腺癌腋淋巴结转移组的阳性率分别为87．5％和83．3％,明显高于非转移组的表达（55．9％和38．2％）;VEGFR-3阳性脉管数在淋巴结转移组（8．54±2．54）明显高于淋巴结非转移组（4．73±2．46）。结论乳腺癌组织VEGF—C和VEGFR-3的表达明显增强,并与淋巴结转移密切相关,该信号系统可能成为抗某些肿瘤淋巴道转移的特异性靶标。

Expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in breast cancer tissue and its clinical significance

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and its receptor--vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) in breast cancer tissue and its correlation with metastasis of lymphonodi axillares.Methods Fifty-eight cases of breast cancer samples and 10 cases of tumor adjacent non-carcinomatous tissue were measured by immunohistochemical staining for expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3. Their expression rates were compared between axillary lymph node metastasis and non-metastasis groups.Results The positive rates of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 as well as the number of VEGFR-3 positive vessels were significantly higher than those in lymph node non-metastasis group (87.5% vs 55.9%; 83.3% vs 38.2%; 8.54±2.54 vs 4.73±2.46, respectively).Conclusion The high expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 as well as the increase in the number of VEGFR-3 positive vessels are related to lymph node metastasis of human breast cancer. VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 system may be a new specific target which contributes to blockage of lymphatic metastasis in breast cancer.