Intratumoral lymphatics are essential for the metastatic spread and prognosis in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) frequently disseminate to regional lymph nodes. To investigate the possible mechanisms involved, we studied the expression of cancer cell adhesion molecules together with lymphatic vascular and blood vascular markers in a panel of 97 primary HNSCC tumors and correlated expression levels with conventional clinicopathological parameters and with long-term prognosis. In particular, we measured the density of intratumoral and peritumoral lymph vessels as assessed with the marker lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE-1) and the density of tumor CD44, a receptor up-regulated in many metastatic cancers. Intratumoral LYVE-1(+) lymphatic vessels were clearly associated with a higher risk for local relapse as well as with poor disease-specific prognosis (P = 0.02 and 0.0009, respectively). In contrast, a high density of peritumoral LYVE-1(+) vessels was a sign of favorable survival (P = 0.05). Strong primary tumor CD44 expression was associated with a poor prognosis, an increased risk of local recurrence (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively), and an increase in resistance to radiation therapy (P = 0.03). CD44 was the only factor with an independent prognostic value for the disease-specific overall survival (P = 0.04). Our results suggest that intratumoral lymphatics play a greater role than peritumoral lymphatics in nodal metastasis of HNSCC and that tumor CD44 levels can predict sensitivity to radiation therapy. These parameters may be useful predictive and prognostic tools in the clinical management of HNSCC.     

Mannose receptor (MR) and common lymphatic endothelial and vascular endothelial receptor (CLEVER)-1 direct the binding of cancer cells to the lymph vessel endothelium

Although approximately 50% of cancers give rise to metastases via the lymphatic system, the mechanisms mediating this process have remained unknown. In this study, we have investigated the role of two lymphatic endothelial molecules, the mannose receptor (MR) and common lymphatic endothelial and vascular endothelial receptor (CLEVER)-1 in adhesion of malignant cells to the lymphatic endothelium, and analyzed their expression in two clinical series consisting of squamous cell cancers of the head and neck (n = 17) and breast cancers (n = 72). Affinity of the tested head and neck cancer cell lines to the lymphatic endothelium varied greatly, but adhesion of all cell lines was dependent on both the MR and CLEVER-1. Almost all cancer specimens contained peritumoral vessels that expressed CLEVER-1 and MR, and also the intratumoral lymph vessels often expressed them in both tumor types. However, only intratumoral expression of these molecules seems to be essential for metastatic spread to the regional lymph nodes. Only 8 (22%) of the 36 axillary node-negative breast carcinomas expressed the MR on the intratumoral lymph vessels as compared with 16 (50%) of the 32 node-positive carcinomas (P = 0.017), and all eight head and neck carcinoma patients with regional lymph node metastases at diagnosis had tumors that expressed CLEVER-1 on the intratumoral lymph vessels. These data suggest a role for both the MR and CLEVER-1 in directing the traffic of cancer cells within the lymphatic system.     

Peritumoral lymphatic vessel density and vascular endothelial growth factor C expression in early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

PURPOSE: Lymphatic invasion and nodal metastasis plays a major role in the spread of cervical cancer; however, little is known about the mechanisms whereby tumor cells enter the lymphatic system. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We examined the intra- and peritumoral lymphatic vessel density (LVD) using D2-40 immunohistochemistry in 111 cervical squamous cell carcinomas and correlated them with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C expression, clinicopathologic tumor features, and outcome. RESULTS: Compared with benign cervix, intratumoral and peritumoral LVD was significantly increased (P < 0.0001). Peritumoral LVD was significantly higher than intratumoral LVD (P = 0.009). High peritumoral, but not intratumoral, LVD showed significant correlation with high tumor stage, lymphatic invasion, and nodal metastasis. VEGF-C showed increased expression at the invasive edge compared with the center of tumors (P < 0.0001) and correlated with high peritumoral LVD, lymphatic invasion, and nodal metastasis. High peritumoral LVD and VEGF-C expression at the invasive edge of tumors were associated with poor overall and recurrence-free survival in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, peritumoral LVD was the only independent term predictive of overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a potential role for VEGF-C in tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis represented by high peritumoral LVD, which may be one of the mechanisms leading to lymphatic invasion and metastatic spread. High peritumoral LVD may be an independent prognostic factor in early-stage cervical cancer.     

High LYVE-1-positive lymphatic vessel numbers are associated with poor outcome in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The clinical significance of intratumoral or peritumoral lymph vessel density is not known. LYVE-1, a lymphatic endothelium-specific hyaluronan receptor, is a novel lymphatic vessel marker that is expressed on lymph vessel endothelial cells of both normal and neoplastic tissues. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We investigated expression of LYVE-1 by immunohistochemistry in 180 unilateral, invasive ductal breast carcinomas and assessed the presence and density of lymph vessels within the tumor and at the tumor periphery. RESULTS: A minority (12%) of breast carcinomas had intratumoral lymph vessels, whereas peritumoral lymph vessels were identified in almost all cases (94%). No substantial association was found between the number of LYVE-1-positive vessels and the number of CD31 or vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3-positive vessels, or vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression. The number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes increased in parallel with increasing lymph vessel counts (P = 0.033). A higher than the median lymph vessel count at the tumor periphery was significantly associated with unfavorable distant disease-free survival and overall survival. Women with high peritumoral lymph vessel density had only 58% (95% confidence interval, 46-70%) 5-year distant disease-free survival as compared with 74% (66-83%) among those with a low peritumoral lymph vessel density (P = 0.0088). In contrast, the presence of intratumoral lymph vessels was associated with neither axillary nodal status nor survival. Lymph vessel density was not an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate survival analysis. CONCLUSIONS: A high peritumoral lymph vessel density is associated with a poor outcome in ductal breast cancer.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A and -C: expression and correlations with lymphatic metastasis and prognosis in colorectal cancer

Previous studies obtained contradicting results regarding the correlation between expression of VEGF-A, VEGF-C and colorectal cancer patients’ clinicopathological features and prognosis. Moreover, the association between the growth factors’ expression and lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) with intratumoral and peritumoral difference has not been reported. In this study, 81 primary colorectal cancer samples were immunohistochemically stained for VEGF-A, VEGF-C and podoplanin. The expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in marginal portion was significantly higher than those in central portion (P = 0.000 for both). The expression of VEGF-A in marginal portion was correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.031). The expression of VEGF-C in marginal portion was correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.045), peritumoral LVI (P = 0.048) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.019). The group with high VEGF-A expression in marginal portion showed worse survival than the low expression group (P = 0.039). Patients with high expression of VEGF-C in the marginal portion were not significantly different from those with low VEGF-C expression (P = 0.121). Patients with high expression of both VEGF-A and VEGF-C in the marginal portion showed the worst survival (P = 0.015). In conclusion, increased expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in marginal portion of colorectal cancer was correlated with lymph node metastasis. VEGF-C facilitates colorectal cancer cells invade into peritumoral lymphatic vessels, and different mechanisms may exist in the invasion of tumor cells into peritumoral and intratumoral lymphatic vessels. Assessment the expression of both VEGF-A and VEGF-C in the marginal portion of tumor may help to identify patients with colorectal cancer with unfavourable overall survival.     

Tumor lymphangiogenesis in inflammatory breast carcinoma: a histomorphometric study.

PURPOSE: At the time of diagnosis, metastatic dissemination of tumor cells via the lymphatic system has occurred in nearly all patients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). The objective of this study was twofold: (a) to determine which is the most suitable marker of lymph vessels in primary breast tumors and (b) to compare histomorphometric lymph vessel variables in IBC and non-IBC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Serial sections of 10 IBCs and 10 non-IBCs were immunostained for D2-40, LYVE-1, podoplanin, and PROX-1. Relative lymph vessel area, lymph vessel perimeters, and counts and lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation (LECP) were then measured in D2-40/Ki-67 double-immunostained sections of 10 normal breast tissues, 29 IBCs, and 56 non-IBCs. RESULTS: D2-40 was the most suitable antibody for staining peritumoral and intratumoral lymph vessels. D2-40-stained intratumoral lymph vessels were present in 80% of non-IBCs and 82.8% of IBCs (P = 0.76). In non-IBC, lymph vessels located in the tumor parenchyma were smaller and less numerous than those at the tumor periphery (P < 0.0001) whereas in IBC, intratumoral and peritumoral variables were not significantly different. The mean relative tumor area occupied by lymph vessels was larger in IBC than in non-IBC (P = 0.01). LECP at the tumor periphery was higher in IBC than in non-IBC: median LECP was 5.74% in IBC versus 1.83% in non-IBC (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The high LECP in IBC suggests that lymphangiogenesis contributes to the extensive lymphatic spread of IBC.     

ET-1和VEGF-C在喉癌中的表达及临床意义

目的：研究血管内皮素-1（ET-1）和血管内皮生长因子-C（VEGF-C）在喉癌组织中的表达规律,探讨两者与喉癌发生、发展和淋巴结转移的关系及在预后中的意义。方法：选择45例经病理确诊的喉癌组织为实验组,20例喉良性病变组织为对照组,免疫组化法和实时荧光定量PCR法检测ET-1和VEGF-C蛋白和mRNA的表达,5＇-核苷酸酶染色法（5＇-Nase）计数淋巴管密度（LVD）,CD34染色计数微血管密度（MVD）,并结合临床病理特征和生存资料进行相关分析。结果：喉癌淋巴结转移组ET-1、VEGF-C蛋白和mRNA表达显著高于未转移组（P〈0.05）,二者均显著高于良性喉组织（P〈0.01）。喉癌组织中ET-1蛋白表达与瘤内和瘤周LVD、MVD、淋巴结转移、淋巴管浸润、TNM临床分期显著相关（P〈0.05）,与年龄、性别、肿瘤部位及组织学分级无关（P〉0.05）。VEGF-C蛋白表达与瘤内和瘤周LVD、淋巴结转移、淋巴管浸润、MVD显著相关（P〈0.05）,与年龄、性别、肿瘤部位、TNM临床分期及组织学分级无关（P〉0.05）。ET-1和VEGF-C在肿瘤组织中的蛋白表达正相关（r=0.456,P=0.001）。生存分析显示ET-1蛋白阳性表达与生存率无关（P〉0.05）,ET-1＋/VEGF-C＋、VEGF-C蛋白阳性表达与生存率负相关（P〈0.05）,其中ET-1＋/VEGF-C＋阳性表达更具有显著高危死亡率（P=0.000）。Cox回归模型显示ET-1＋/VEGF-C＋可以独立影响预后（P〈0.05）。结论：ET-1和VEGF-C均能促进喉癌淋巴管生成和血管生成。在喉癌组织中ET-1过表达可能通过诱导VEGF-C表达上调促进喉癌淋巴管生成和淋巴结转移。联合检测ET-1及VEGF-C的表达可成为判断喉癌预后的新的生物学指标。     

ET-1和VEGF-C在喉癌中的表达及临床意义

目的:研究血管内皮素-1(ET-1)和血管内皮生长因子-C(VEGF-C)在喉癌组织中的表达规律,探讨两者与喉癌发生、发展和淋巴结转移的关系及在预后中的意义。方法:选择45例经病理确诊的喉癌组织为实验组,20例喉良性病变组织为对照组,免疫组化法和实时荧光定量PCR法检测ET-1和VEGF-C蛋白和mRNA的表达,5’-核苷酸酶染色法(5’-Nase)计数淋巴管密度(LVD),CD34染色计数微血管密度(MVD),并结合临床病理特征和生存资料进行相关分析。结果:喉癌淋巴结转移组ET-1、VEGF-C蛋白和mRNA表达显著高于未转移组(P<0.05),二者均显著高于良性喉组织(P<0.01)。喉癌组织中ET-1蛋白表达与瘤内和瘤周LVD、MVD、淋巴结转移、淋巴管浸润、TNM临床分期显著相关(P<0.05),与年龄、性别、肿瘤部位及组织学分级无关(P>0.05)。VEGF-C蛋白表达与瘤内和瘤周LVD、淋巴结转移、淋巴管浸润、MVD显著相关(P<0.05),与年龄、性别、肿瘤部位、TNM临床分期及组织学分级无关(P>0.05)。ET-1和VEGF-C在肿瘤组织中的蛋白表达正相关(r=0.456,P=0.001)。生存分析显示ET-1蛋白阳性表达与生存率无关(P>0.05),ET-1+/VEGF-C+、VEGF-C蛋白阳性表达与生存率负相关(P<0.05),其中ET-1+/VEGF-C+阳性表达更具有显著高危死亡率(P=0.000)。Cox回归模型显示ET-1+/VEGF-C+可以独立影响预后(P<0.05)。结论:ET-1和VEGF-C均能促进喉癌淋巴管生成和血管生成。在喉癌组织中ET-1过表达可能通过诱导VEGF-C表达上调促进喉癌淋巴管生成和淋巴结转移。联合检测ET-1及VEGF-C的表达可成为判断喉癌预后的新的生物学指标。     

宫颈癌ICAM-1的表达与微淋巴管密度的关系及其对预后的评估价值

目的:探讨宫颈癌细胞间黏附分子-1(intercellular adhesion molecule-1,ICAM-1)的表达与微淋巴管密度(microlymphatic vessel density,MLVD)的相关性及二者对宫颈癌预后的评估价值.方法:采用免疫组化法检测ICAM-1、D2-40在94例宫颈癌组织、癌旁组织及20例正常宫颈组织中的表达并计数MLVD,分析上述指标与预后的关系,并采用免疫组化双重染色鉴别微淋巴管和微血管.结果:宫颈癌组织ICAM-1阳性率为63.83％ (60/94).肿瘤中心处、宫颈癌旁、正常宫颈组织中MLVD分别为(2.89±0.57)、(8.59±1.38)及(7.98±1.48).非参数检验显示ICAM-1阳性表达与宫颈癌国际妇产科联盟(International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics,FIGO)分期及淋巴结转移有关(P＜0.05);癌组织MLVD与FIGO分期及淋巴结转移密切相关(P＜0.05);ICAM-1阳性表达者MLVD明显高于阴性表达者(P＜0.05).结论:ICAM-1与宫颈癌淋巴管的生成相关,其可能参与了宫颈癌的侵袭与转移;ICAM-1对宫颈癌预后有评估价值,ICAM-1联合MLVD的预后评估意义更大.     

Prognostic value of stromal cell‐derived factor 1 expression in patients with gastric cancer after surgical resection

Aberrant chemokine stromal cell‐derived factor 1 (SDF‐1) expression has been shown to be involved in the development and progression of various malignancies. Our present study aims to investigate the clinical and prognostic value of SDF‐1 expression and improve risk stratification in patients with gastric cancer. Peritumoral and intratumoral SDF‐1 levels were assessed in 220 retrospectively enrolled gastric cancer patients, and their relations with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes were evaluated. A predictive nomogram was created to refine risk stratification for overall survival of gastric cancer patients. Compared with peritumor tissues, tumor tissues showed decreased SDF‐1 expression levels according to TNM stage progression in gastric cancer specimens. Peritumoral SDF‐1 expression correlated positively with tumor invasion depth and lymph node metastasis, whereas intratumoral SDF‐1 expression associated negatively with tumor size, tumor differentiation, tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and clinical TNM stage. Moreover, both low peritumoral SDF‐1 expression and high intratumoral SDF‐1 expression indicated favorable overall survival, and SDF‐1 risk derived from the peritumoral/intratumoral SDF‐1 expression signature could stratify prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. After backward elimination, SDF‐1 risk was identified as an independent prognostic factor for survival. Finally, a predictive nomogram was generated with identified independent prognosticators to assess patient survival at 3 and 5 years following surgery. Conclusively, SDF‐1 risk, an identified independent prognostic factor, could be developed into a nomogram with tumor invasion depth, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis to refine predictive accuracy for survival in patients with gastric cancer after surgical resection.     

Intratumoral regulatory T cells alone or in combination with cytotoxic T cells predict prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after resection

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) represent the host immune response to cancer. CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) have a central role in the elimination of tumors, while regulatory T cells (Tregs) can suppress the immune reaction. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of TILs, especially Tregs and CTLs, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after resection. CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), and FoxP3(+) TILs were assessed by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissue from 141 randomly selected HCC patients. Prognostic effects of low- or high-density TIL subsets were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis using the median values as cutoff. The density of intratumoral Tregs (P = 0.040) and peritumoral CTLs (P = 0.004) were an independent factor for overall survival (OS), but not for disease-free survival (DFS). The density of CD3(+) and CD4(+) TILs, and the prevalence of Tregs and CTLs were associated with neither OS nor DFS. The presence of low intratumoral Tregs with high intratumoral CTLs was a negative independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.001), while that of low intratumoral Tregs and low peritumoral CTLs independently correlated with improved DFS (P = 0.008). Moreover, the combined analysis of Tregs and CTLs displayed better prognostic performances than any of them alone. Additionally, higher density of intratumoral Tregs correlated with both the presence of liver cirrhosis (P = 0.025) and increased tumor size (P = 0.050). Tregs within tumor environment are promising prognostic parameters for HCC patients, and their combination with CTLs can predict prognosis more effectively.     

胃癌淋巴管密度、微血管密度水平及其临床意义

目的 探讨胃癌组织中淋巴管密度（LVD）和微血管密度（MVD）水平及两者与胃癌临床病理特征的关系。方法 收集本院2004年2月至2007年2月手术切除的68例胃癌患者肿瘤组织,分别采用D2-40和CD31标记胃癌组织中淋巴管和血管,采用免疫组化法检测瘤周及瘤内D2 40、CD31表达情况并计算LVD和MVD,分析瘤周及瘤内LVD、MVD水平与临床病理参数（肿瘤大小、淋巴结转移、脏器转移、TNM分期、性别、年龄、分化程度、Lauren分型及病理类型）和预后的关系。结果 68例患者瘤内和瘤周LVD分别为（4.6±2.0）个和（8.2±3.5）个,瘤内和瘤周MVD分别为（46.3±16.5）个和（47.6±15.3）个;瘤周LVD与肿瘤大小、淋巴结转移、脏器转移及TNM分期有关（P＜0.05）,与性别、年龄、分化程度、Lauren分型及病理类型均无关（P＞0.05）;瘤内LVD、瘤内及瘤周MVD与以上参数均无关（P＞0.05）;全组中位总生存期（OS）为48.6个月,其中瘤周低LVD者的中位OS为31.0个月,低于瘤周高LVD的43.0个月（P＜0.05）;瘤周高MVD者的中位OS为46.0个月,而瘤周低MVD者为48.0个月,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论 瘤周LVD与胃癌的临床病理特征及预后密切相关,可能成为胃癌发展及预后的预测指标。     

Clinicopathological Significance of Tumor Lymphatic Vessel Density in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Various studies have demonstrated that the lymphatic system is the additional route for solid tumor metastasis. Lymph nodes metastasis in Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major prognostic indicator for disease progression and a guide for therapeutic strategies. We conducted a study to compare intratumoral (IT) and peritumoral (PT) lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in HNSCC using lymphatic marker D2-40 and its correlation with lymph node metastasis, histological grading and other clinicopathological parameters. Fifty specimen of HNSCC with modified radical neck dissection tissue were included in the study group. Tissue from tumor, peritumoral tissue, tumor margin and all the lymph nodes were processed for paraffin wax blocks and histopathological diagnosis. Immunohistochemical profile of lymphatic vessels in intratumoral and peritumoral tissue was assessed by subjecting one section each from the tumor and peritumoral tissue to D2-40 immunostain. To determine LVD, four fields with the highest LVD (hot spots) were identified. The mean values were calculated by taking an average of all the measurements. The comparison of LVD between peritumoral and intratumoral area revealed significantly higher PT-LVD (P = 0.001). No significant association was seen between LVD, IT-LVD and PT-LVD and different age groups, gender, site of tumor, risk factors, size of tumor, tumor inflammation, pushing/infiltrating margin and stage of tumors. Significantly higher LVD, IT-LVD and PT-LVD was seen in association with lymph node metastasis. Both high intratumoral and peritumoral LVD were found significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis, however lymphatic vessels were found to be significantly more numerous and larger in peritumoral areas as compared to intratumoral lymphatics. The specificity of D2-40 as a lymphatic endothelial marker was also confirmed. The results of our study support the possibility of using the determination of tumor lymphangiogenesis to identify patients of HNSCC who are at risk of developing the lymph node metastasis.     

Intratumoral lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer

How tumors access and spread via the lymphatics is not understood. Although it is clear that dissemination via the blood system involves hemangiogenesis, it is uncertain whether tumors also induce lymphangiogenesis or simply invade existing peritumoral vessels. To address the issue we quantitated tumor lymph vessels in archival specimens of head and neck cancer by immunostaining for the recently described lymphatic endothelial marker LYVE-1, the vascular endothelial marker CD34, and the pKi67 proliferation marker, correlating lymph vessel density and proliferation index with clinical and pathological variables. Discrete "hotspots" of intratumoral small proliferating lymphatics were observed in all carcinomas, and a high intratumoral lymph vessel density was associated with neck node metastases (n = 23; P = 0.027) and an infiltrating margin of tumor invasion (P = 0.046) in the oropharyngeal subgroup. Quantitation of the lymphangiogenic growth factor vascular endothelial growth factor C by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed higher levels of mRNA in tumor tissue than in normal samples (n = 8; P = 0.017), but no obvious correlation with intratumoral lymphatics. Our results provide new evidence that proliferating lymphatics can occur in human cancers and may in some cases contribute to lymph node metastasis.     

乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗前后淋巴管密度检测

背景与目的:淋巴管生成在肿瘤经淋巴途径转移中所起的作用已成为近几年里新的研究热点,但目前的研究结果仍存在很多争议。本研究拟检测乳腺癌患者新辅助化疗前后的淋巴管密度(lymphatic vessel density,LVD)并与乳腺良性病变进行比较,以进一步明确淋巴管生成的意义及其在化疗过程中的变化。方法:45例原发性乳腺癌患者给予3个周期新辅助化疗并手术,免疫组化法标记肿瘤及26例纤维腺瘤标本中特异性淋巴管内皮标志物Podop lan in并计数LVD。结果:乳腺癌瘤周、瘤内的淋巴管阳性率分别为70.9%、19.8%。化疗前瘤周平均LVD为9.6,纤维腺瘤瘤周平均LVD为5.4,两者间差异有显著性(P=0.012)。化疗后瘤周平均LVD为3.3,与化疗前相比显著降低(P<0.001),化疗前、后瘤内平均LVD分别为1.9、0.9(P=0.055)。淋巴结转移阳性和阴性组的平均瘤周LVD分别为11.8、7.0(P=0.048)。化疗后客观缓解组化疗前后平均瘤周LVD值分别为9.8、2.0(P<0.001)。结论:与良性病变相比,乳腺癌瘤周LVD显著增高;有瘤内淋巴管存在;瘤周LVD与HER-2、腋淋巴结转移状态相关;化疗后瘤周LVD明显降低,而瘤内LVD无显著变化;化疗后瘤周LVD的降低程度与化疗疗效相关。     

ERCC1 mRNA表达与结直肠癌标准方案化疗临床预后的相关性研究

目的:探讨结直肠癌石蜡组织中切除修复交叉互补基因 (excision repair cross-complementing group 1,ERCC1) mRNA表达水平与接受标准方案化疗的结直肠癌患者临床病理的关系以及其预后意义。方法:采用实时荧光定量 RT-PCR检测福尔马林固定－石蜡包埋的结直肠癌组织中DNA修复基因ERCC1 mRNA的表达水平,并比较其表达水平与接受标准方案化疗的结直肠癌患者的临床病理及生存期之间的关系。结果:ERCC1 mRNA表达与结直肠癌临床病理特征无相关性(P＞0.05)。将ERCC1 mRNA在96例大肠癌患者中的表达量（相对于β-actin）分为低表达组与中高表达组（≤5.21为低表达组,＞5.21为中高表达组）,样本总生存期呈正态分布,中高表达组平均总生存期为68.52月（95%CI:63.06-76.06）,低表达组平均总生存期为56.63月（95%CI:44.45-68.80）,从生存曲线上看中高表达组患者总生存时间明显长于低表达组,两者有统计学差异(P=0.049)。样本无进展生存期呈偏态分布,中高表达组的中位生存时间30.98月（95%CI:0-18.65）,低表达组的中位生存时间8.48月（95%CI:6.37-10.60）,两者之间差别无统计学意义（P=0.575）。Cox多因素回归分析发现性别（P=0.023）、分期（P＜0.001）、以肠梗阻或肠穿孔起病（P=0.046）是患者总生存期的独立影响因素,年龄（P=0.043）、分期（P＜0.001）、脉管侵犯（P=0.002）是患者无进展生存期的独立影响因素。结论:ERCC1 mRNA的表达水平可能是使用标准方案化疗的结直肠癌患者预后的影响因素,性别、分期、以肠梗阻或肠穿孔起病、年龄、脉管侵犯是影响结直肠患者预后的独立影响因素。     

Tumor lymphangiogenesis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a morphometric study with clinical correlations

BACKGROUND: Tumor metastasis to regional lymph nodes via the lymphatic system represents the first step of dissemination in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and serves as a major prognostic indicator for disease progression and as a guide for therapeutic strategies. In the current study, the authors investigated whether tumor lymphangiogenesis may be related to the risk of lymph node metastasis and to clinical outcome in patients with HNSCC. METHODS: Immunostaining for the lymphatic marker D2-40 was used, and lymphangiogenesis was quantified within the tumor and in the peritumoral area in 52 HNSCC specimens using computer-assisted morphometric analysis. RESULTS: Lymphatic vessels were found to be significantly more numerous and larger in the peritumoral area compared with within the tumor, and the number and relative area of intratumoral and peritumoral lymphatics was significantly higher in HNSCC cases with lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high peritumoral lymphangiogenesis (above the median value) was associated with an increased risk of developing lymph node metastasis. No correlation was found between tumor lymphangiogenesis and the disease-free or overall survival in the current series. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that peritumoral lymphangiogenesis may be an indicator of the risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with HNSCC.     

Prognostic significance of CD8+ T cell and macrophage peritumoral infiltration in colorectal cancer

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of CD8+ T cell and macrophage peritumoral infiltration in patients with colorectal cancer. A total of 97 adenocarcinomas of the colon and rectum were examined. Immunohistochemical staining was performed by the standard avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method using antibodies to CD8 and CD68. Peritumoral infiltration by CD8+ T cells or macrophages was evaluated along the invasive margin of the cancer in each specimen. The area with the most abundant infiltration was selected, and the number of immunoreactive positive cells counted at x400 magnification. Patients were divided into two groups based on the degree of infiltration by each cell type: namely those with a high level of infiltration (more than the mean number of positive cells) and those with a low level of infiltration (less than the mean number of positive cells). Patients with a low level of macrophage infiltration had a significantly deeper depth of invasion than patients with a high level of macrophage infiltration (P=0.027). The percentage of patients with a high level of macrophage infiltration was significantly higher in vascular invasion-negative cases (46.7%) than in vascular invasion-positive cases (22.7%; P=0.045), and in lymph node metastasis-negative cases (52.9%) than in lymph node metastasis-positive cases (28.3%; P=0.014). Overall survival was significantly shorter for patients with a low level of CD8+ T cell infiltration than those with a high level of CD8+ T cell infiltration (P=0.01). The survival rate for patients with a high level of both CD8+ T cell and macrophage infiltration was 100%. In conclusion, both CD8+ T cell and macrophage peritumoral infiltration indicates anti-tumoral action in patients with colorectal cancer.     

Monocytes and neutrophils as 'bad guys' for the outcome of interleukin-2 with and without histamine in metastatic renal cell carcinoma--results from a randomised phase II trial

Histamine (HDC) inhibits formation and release of phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species, and thereby protects natural killer (NK) and T cells against oxidative damage. Thus, the addition of histamine may potentially improve the efficacy of interleukin-2 (IL-2). We have explored this potential mechanism clinically in two randomised phase II trials in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In parallel with the clinical trial in Denmark (n=63), we obtained serial blood samples and tumour biopsies searching for a potential histamine effect in situ. At baseline and on-treatment weeks 3 and 8, we monitored the 'good guys' (i.e. NK and T cells) and 'bad guys' (i.e. monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils) simultaneously in blood (n=59) and tumour tissue (n=44). Patients with high number of monocytes and neutrophils in peripheral blood had very poor survival, with apparently no benefit from either IL-2 alone or IL-2/HDC treatment. Blood monocytes (r=-0.36, P=0.01) and neutrophils (r=-0.46, P=0.001) were negatively correlated with cytotoxicity, whereas blood NK cells were positively correlated with cytotoxicity (r=0.39, P=0.002). Treatment with IL-2 alone resulted in a significantly higher number of circulating monocytes (P=0.037) and intratumoral macrophages (P=0.005) compared with baseline. In contrast, IL-2/HDC resulted in an unchanged number of circulating monocytes and intratumoral macrophages, and in addition, a significantly increased number of intratumoral CD56(+) NK cells (P=0.008) and CD8(+) T cells (P=0.019) compared with baseline. The study provides evidence that circulating monocytes and neutrophils are powerful negative prognostic factors for IL-2-based immunotherapy and establishes a biological rationale for the potential use of histamine in conjunction with IL-2 in mRCC.