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The role of the lymphatic system and its specific growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor C, for lymphogenic metastasis in prostate cancer
Author(s) -
Trojan Lutz,
Rensch Florian,
Voß Martin,
Grobholz Rainer,
Weiss Christel,
Jackson David G.,
Alken Peter,
Michel Maurice S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2006.06403.x
Subject(s) - lymphatic system , medicine , prostate cancer , lymphatic vessel , pathology , metastasis , vascular endothelial growth factor , prostate , vascular endothelial growth factor c , hyperplasia , lymph node , lymphovascular invasion , cancer , lymph , vascular endothelial growth factor a , vegf receptors
OBJECTIVE To compare prostate carcinoma, with and with no lymph node metastasis, to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue for lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and the expression of the lymph‐endothelial specific growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF‐C), to determine their role in lymphogenic metastasis. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS Lymphatic vessels were stained using lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 and assessed in standard areas. The expression of VEGF‐C was assessed by the number of positive epithelial cells. The data were compared with the clinical staging. RESULTS The lowest LVD was found in tumorous areas as opposed to periphery and nontumorous tissue ( P = 0.007; P < 0.001). The highest LVD was in BPH tissue ( P < 0.001). There was no correlation with clinical staging. There was more VEGF‐C staining in pN1 than in pN0 and in BPH specimens ( P = 0.002). CONCLUSION LVD is not a prognostic variable for the process of lymphogenic metastasis in prostate cancer. VEGF‐C is up‐regulated in prostate cancer and its correlation with lymph node status suggests a role for the development of lymph node metastasis, e.g. via an increased permeability of lymphatic vessels.