Erschienen in:
01.01.2007
Intratumoral Lymphatic Vessels and VEGF-C Expression Are Predictive Factors of Lymph Node Relapse in T1-T4 N0 Laryngopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
verfasst von:
Adolfo Hinojar-Gutiérrez, María-Encarnación Fernández-Contreras, Rocío González-González, María-Jesús Fernández-Luque, Adolfo Hinojar-Arzadún, Miguel Quintanilla, Carlos Gamallo
Erschienen in:
Annals of Surgical Oncology
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Ausgabe 1/2007
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Abstract
Background
The presence of intratumoral lymphatic vessels (ILVs) and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in tumour cells have been studied as markers of lymphangiogenesis in order to evaluate their role in metastatic dissemination in laryngopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods
A retrospective study was performed in 76 patients of N0 laryngopharyngeal carcinoma. with variable tumour size (T1-T4), histological grade, and location (supraglottic, glottic and hypopharyngeal). The presence of ILVs, as revealed by the expression of PA2.26 antigen and VEGF-C expression, were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Low-grade and high-grade lymphangiogenesis were defined by qualitative and quantitative criteria.
Results
Multivariate analysis revealed low-grade ILV and VEGF-C expression to be associated respectively with 30.3- and 16.2-fold higher probabilities of cervical lymph node relapse (P = 0.005 and P = 0.032) and with 16.2- and 8.44-fold shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.009 and P = 0.045).
Conclusions
Low-grade ILV and VEGF-C expression are independent predictive factors of cervical lymph node relapse and shortening of time to relapse in N0 laryngopharyngeal carcinoma.