VEGF-C和Flt-4在舌鳞癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

背景与目的：近年来研究发现,血管内皮细胞生长因子-C（vascular endothelial growth factor—C,VEGF—C）可诱导实体瘤内或瘤周的淋巴管生成．与肿瘤的淋巴道转移密切相关。本研究旨在检测VEGF—C及其受体Flt-4（fms—like tyrosine kinase-4）在舌鳞癌中的表达,并探讨其临床意义。方法：收集1988年1月至1996年12月在中山大学肿瘤防治中心治疗的舌鳞癌99例及同期收治的舌良性上皮病变17例,免疫组化LSAB方法检测舌癌组织中VEGF-C和Flt-4的表达,分析VEGF—C和Flt-4表达与舌鳞癌临床病理特征及预后的关系。结果：VEGF—C和Flt-4在舌鳞癌中的阳性率（35．35％vs．5．88％）均显著高于舌良性上皮性病变（40．40％vs．5．88％,P〈0．05）。淋巴结转移组的VEGF—C阳性率显著高于无淋巴结转移组（43．75％vs．20．00％,P〈0．05）,Ⅰ＋Ⅱ期组的VEGF—C阳性率显著低于Ⅲ＋Ⅳ期组（18．52％vs．41．67％,P〈0．05）。VEGF—C阳性组和Flt-4阳性组的5年生存率均显著低于阴性组（45．08％vs．68．25％,38．03％vs．75．46％,P〈0．05）。结论：VEGF—C和Flt-4在舌鳞癌的叶性率显著高于舌良性上皮性病变。VEGF—C表达与颈淋巴结转移、临床分期显著相关。VEGF—C和Flt-4表达与舌鳞癌的预后有关．

Expression and clinical significance of VEGF-C and Flt-4 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) could induce lymphangiogenesis in or around solid tumor, and is closely related with lymphatic metastasis. This study was to investigate the expression and clinical significance of VEGF-C and its receptor fms-like tyrosine kinase-4 (Flt-4) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). METHODS: The expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 in 99 specimens of TSCC and 17 specimens of benign tongue epithelial lesions was detected by LSAB immunohistochemistry. The correlations of expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 to the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of TSCC were analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rates of VEGF-C and Flt-4 were significantly higher in TSCC than in benign tongue epithelial lesion (35.35% vs. 5.88%, and 40.40% vs. 5.88%, P<0.05). The positive rate of VEGF-C was significantly higher in TSCC with cervical lymph node metastasis than in TSCC without metastasis (43.75% vs. 20%, P<0.05), and significantly lower in stage I-II TSCC than in stage III-IV TSCC (18.52% vs. 41.67%, P<0.05). The cumulative 5-year survival rates of the patients with positive expression of either VEGF-C or Flt-4 were significantly lower than those of the patients with negative expression of either VEGF-C or Flt-4 (45.08% vs. 68.25%, and 38.03% vs. 75.46%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The positive rates of VEGF-C and Flt-4 are significantly higher in TSCC than in benign tongue epithelial lesions. The expression of VEGF-C is correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis and clinical stage. The prognosis of TSCC patients with high expression of VEGF-C and Flt-4 is poor.