Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-C and angiogenesis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-c (VEGF-C) mRNA and microvessel density (MVD) in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its relationship with clinical significance.

Specimens obtained from 43 patients undergoing surgical resection for ESCC were used in this study. The expression of VEGF-C mRNA was examined by in situ hybridization. Tumor MVD was determined immunohistochemically with anti-CD31 antibody and estimated by image analysis. Ten sections of adjacent normal mucosa were also examined.

VEGF-C mRNA expression was detected in cytoplasm of carcinoma cells. Of the 43 ESCC patients studied, 18 cases (41.9%) were positive for VEGF-C mRNA. No VEGF-C mRNA expression was observed in normal esophageal mucosa. VEGF-C mRNA expression correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and depth of invasion (P < 0.05). Furthermore, histological grade (differentiation) tended to correlate with VEGF-C mRNA expression, but was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In tumor lesions, the MVD was significantly greater than that in normal esophageal mucosa. MVD correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and depth of invasion (P < 0.05), but not with histological grade (differentiation) (P > 0.05). Lesions with VEGF-C mRNA expression had a significantly higher MVD than that of those without VEGF-C mRNA expression (P < 0.05).

VEGF-C plays a role in lymphatic metastasis via lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in ESCC. VEGF-C is one of the important predictors of the biological behavior in ESCC.