血清VEGF-C水平作为食管鳞癌淋巴结转移标志物的临床研究

目的 血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）是一特异的淋巴管生长因子，已有的研究发现它在肿瘤细胞转移至淋巴结和远处器官的过程中起一定作用。本研究的目的在于通过检测食管鳞状细胞癌患者血液循环中VEGF-C的含量，探讨其在判断淋巴结转移中的作用。方法 收集62例食管鳞癌术前患者和10例正常人的血清，用酶联免疫吸附实验检测VEGF-C的含量，并收集相应的临床资料。结果 食管鳞癌患者的血清VEGF-C的水平高于正常人的水平（P〈0．001）；食管鳞癌患者中有淋巴结转移组高于无转移组（P〈0．001）；依据肿瘤浸润深度的分组中，T3高于T1-2（P=0．009）；如果血清VEGF-C水平以2474．5pg／mL为界值，则预测淋巴结转移的敏感度和特异度分别达到了85％和73．8％。结论 在食管鳞癌患者中，血清VEGF-C的水平为区分有无淋巴结转移提供了有意义的补充，是食管鳞癌淋巴结转移的可靠标志物。

Study on serum vascular endothelial growth factor-C level in patients with primary human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas--A possible marker of lymph node metastasis

[Objective] Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) is a specific growth factor of lymphatics,which is known to play some role in tumor metastasis to lymph nodes and distant organs in various malignancies.The purpose of the present study is to measure circulating VEGF-C in human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and assess its role as a diagnostic tool for determining lymph node metastasis. [Methods] Sixty-two patients with ESCC and ten healthy control patients were included in the current study. Circulating VEGF-C levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. [Results] Serum VEGF-C concentration was higher in patients with ESCC than in healthy control patients (P ＜0.001). Patients with lymph node metastasis revealed higher serum VEGF-C than those without (P ＜0.001). The level of VEGF-C, according to the depth of primary tumor, was higher in the group with T3 than in the group with T1-2 (P =0.009). Serum VEGF-C levels reached the highest sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing lymph node metastasis when a cutoff value of 2474.5 pg/mL was applied (sensitivity 85%, specificity 73.8%). [Conclusions] Circulating VEGF-C levels may provide additional information for distinguishing between the absence and presence of lymph node metastasis in patients with ESCC. VEGF-C is a reliable marker for lymph node metastasis in ESCC.