Erschienen in:
21.06.2016 | Head and Neck
High relative density of lymphatic vessels predicts poor survival in tongue squamous cell carcinoma
verfasst von:
Miia Seppälä, Konsta Pohjola, Jussi Laranne, Markus Rautiainen, Heini Huhtala, Risto Renkonen, Karl Lemström, Timo Paavonen, Sanna Toppila-Salmi
Erschienen in:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
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Ausgabe 12/2016
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Abstract
Tongue cancer has a poor prognosis due to its early metastasis via lymphatic vessels. The present study aimed at evaluating lymphatic vessel density, relative density of lymphatic vessel, and diameter of lymphatic vessels and its predictive role in tongue cancer. Paraffin-embedded tongue and lymph node specimens (n = 113) were stained immunohistochemically with a polyclonal antibody von Willebrand factor, recognizing blood and lymphatic endothelium and with a monoclonal antibody podoplanin, recognizing lymphatic endothelium. The relative density of lymphatic vessels was counted by dividing the mean number of lymphatic vessels per microscopic field (podoplanin) by the mean number of all vessels (vWf) per microscopic field. The high relative density of lymphatic vessels (≥80 %) was associated with poor prognosis in tongue cancer. The relative density of lymphatic vessels predicted poor prognosis in the group of primary tumor size T1–T2 and in the group of non-metastatic cancer. The lymphatic vessel density and diameter of lymphatic vessels were not associated with tongue cancer survival. The relative density of lymphatic vessels might have clinically relevant prognostic impact. Further studies with increased number of patients are needed.