Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in bladder transitional cell cancer and its relationship to lymph node metastasis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To elucidate the role of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), examining VEGF-C expression in bladder TCC tissue and the association of VEGF-C with clinicopathological features, as the expression of VEGF-C in several carcinomas is significantly associated with angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and regional lymph node metastasis, but there are few reports of VEGF-C expression in bladder TCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The study included 45 patients with bladder TCC; VEGF-C expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and the association between VEGF-C expression and angiogenesis, as evaluated by microvessel density (MVD), was examined.

RESULTS:

There was VEGF-C expression in the cytoplasm of tumour cells, but very little in the normal transitional epithelium. VEGF-C expression was significantly associated with tumour size, pathological T stage, pathological grade, lymphatic-venous involvement and pelvic lymph node metastasis (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that VEGF-C expression was an exclusive independent factor influencing pelvic lymph node metastasis. Moreover, the patients with high VEGF-C expression had a markedly poorer prognosis than those with no or low VEGF-C expression (P = 0.014). A multivariate analysis based on the Cox proportional hazard model showed that lymph node metastasis was only an independent prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model (P = 0.010).

CONCLUSION:

The present study provides evidence supporting the involvement of VEGF-C expression in the promotion of lymph node metastasis in bladder TCC. Examination of VEGF-C expression in biopsy specimens might be beneficial in predicting pelvic lymph node metastasis.

• Authors: Xiongbing Zu, Zhengyan Tang, Yuan Li, Ning Gao, Jian Ding, Lin Qi
• Journal: BJU international (BJU Int) Vol. 98 Issue 5 Pg. 1090-3 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 1464-4096 [Print] England
• PMID: 17034609 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Carcinoma, Transitional Cell (pathology)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Lymphatic Metastasis
• Middle Aged
• Neovascularization, Pathologic
• Prognosis
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms (pathology)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (metabolism)