VEGF-C和VEGF-D在胃癌及相关淋巴结组织中表达和临床意义的研究

目的：比较血管内皮生长因子C（vascular endothelial growth factor C,VEGF-C）和血管内皮生长因子D（vascular endothelial growth factor D,VEGF-D）在胃癌和相关淋巴结的表达,并评价其预后意义.方法：采用原位杂交技术检测45例胃癌患者原发病灶和转移淋巴结中VEGF-C和VEGF-D mRNA的表达水平;并检测转移及非转移淋巴结中VEGF-C和VEGF-D mRNA表达差异.结果：71%和62.2%的胃癌原发病灶可见VEGF-C和VEGF-D mRNA表达,原发病灶阳性者,相应的淋巴结转移病灶都可见VEGF-C和VEGF-D mRNA表达,55.6%和51.1%的胃癌患者淋巴结转移病灶VEGF-C和VEGF-D mRNA表达水平高于原发病灶,原发病灶和转移病灶淋巴管生成表达水平的差异与胃癌的预后密切相关（P＜0.05）.结论：胃癌癌细胞转移至淋巴结后淋巴管生成因子表达可能进一步提高,以进一步增强转移能力.

Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor C and D in the primary tumor and the metastatic regional lymph nodes of patients with gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE:The expressions of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in the metastatic regional lymph nodes is not yet known. The present study was undertaken to evaluate their expressions in the metastatic lymph nodes secondary to gastric cancer, and the prognostic value of lymphangiogenic factors variation from primary cancer to metestatic lymph node was also evaluated. METHODS: We examined the mRNA expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in the pathological sections of both primary cancer lesions and corresponding metastatic lymph nodes from 45 gastric cancer patients following surgery. RESULTS: Significantly higher level of VEGF-C and VEGF-D was observed in the metastatic lymph nodes than in the primary cancer tissues. Patients exhibiting increased lymphangiogenic factor expression from primary tumor to metastatic lymph node had a significantly shorter survival time compared with the no change group, P<0.05. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased VEGF-C and VEGF-D in metastatic lymph nodes may play an important role in the gastric cancer metastasis, and the increase might be a predictor for the poor prognosis of gastric cancers following surgery.