血管内皮生长因子D和微淋巴管密度及微血管密度与直肠癌进展的关系

目的研究血管内皮生长因子D（VEGF—D）、微淋巴管密度（MLD）和微血管密度（MVD）在直肠癌中的表达情况及它们与直肠癌发展、转移的相关性。方法选取手术切除并经病理证实的中低位直肠癌标本80例、直肠息肉标本40例和正常直肠组织80例，应用免疫组织化学方法测定其VEGF—D的表达和MLD、MVD水平。结果（1）VEGF—D在直肠癌组织中的阳性率为55％（44／80），直肠息肉和正常直肠组织则均为0（P〈0．05）；MLD在直肠癌组织中为2．80±1．31，直肠息肉中为0．50±0．72，正常直肠组织中MLD为0．25±0．44，直肠癌组织中的MLD明显高于直肠息肉和正常直肠组织（P〈0．05）；MVD在直肠癌组织中为80．10±23．18，直肠息肉中为27．00±11．01，正常直肠组织中为10．45±5．34，直肠癌组织中的MVD明显高于直肠息肉和正常直肠组织（P〈0．05）。（2）直肠癌组织中的VEGF-D表达和MLD、MVD水平与淋巴结转移、术前远处转移有明显相关性（P〈0．01，P〈0．05）。（3）直肠癌组织中的MLD与VEGF—D呈正相关，随着VEGF—D表达的增高MLD明显增高（P〈0．01）。结论VEGF-D和MLD是反映直肠癌淋巴管生成的理想指标，同时也是反映直肠癌进展程度的重要指标，直肠癌淋巴管生成及血管生成可能具有协同作用。

Correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor D,microlymphatic density and microvessel density with development and metastasis of rectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) expression, microlymphatic density (MLD) and microvessel density (MVD) levels with the development and metastasis of rectal cancer. METHODS: Eighty specimens from resected middle-lower rectal cancer diagnozed by pathology were examined by immunohistochemistry for VEGF-D,MLD and MVD. Simultaneously, 40 biopsy specimens from rectal polyps and 80 specimens from normal rectal tissue were examined as controls. Correlation between the expression of above three factors and the tumor size, gross morphology, histological type, metastasis, differentiation grade, infiltration depth, Dukes stage, lymph node metastasis and long-distance metastasis before operation were investigated with Spearman method. RESULTS: (1) Positive expression rate of VEGF-D was 55 % (44/80) in rectal cancer, and zero in rectal polyps and normal rectal tissues. The expression of VEGF-D in rectal cancer was significantly higher than that in rectal polyps and normal rectal tissues(P<0.05). MLD was significantly higher in rectal cancer (2.80+/-1.31) than that in rectal polyps (0.50+/-0.72) and normal rectal tissues(0.25+/-0.44)(P<0.05).Meanwhile MVD was significantly higher in rectal cancer (80.10+/-23.18) than that in rectal polyps (27.00+/-11.01) and normal rectal tissues (10.45+/-5.34) (P<0.05). (2) VEGF-D, MLD and MVD were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and long-distance metastasis before operation (P<0.05). (3) VEGF-D was positively correlated with MLD (P<0.05) and MLD was positively correlated with MVD as well(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphangiogenesis exists in rectal cancer tissues. VEGF-D and MLD can be used as good predictors of lymphangiogenesis and they are the important factors affecting biological behavior of rectal cancer. Lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis may have a cooperative function in the development of rectal cancer.