Objective: To explore the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) C and D in gastric cancer and its relationship with tumor angiogenesis and lymph node metastasis.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry(SABC) and real-time PCR were used to detect the expression of VEGF-C, VEGF-D protein and mRNA in 32 gastric cancer tissues and 32 normal gastric tissues.
Results: The positive expression rate of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in gastric cancer tissue was significantly higher than that of normal gastric tissues (P<0.01), the expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in the gastric cancer group and the lymph node metastasis group were significantly different (P<0.05). The expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in gastric carcinoma was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.01), the expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in well-differentiated carcinoma, moderately differentiated carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma was statistically different (P<0.05). VEGF-C and VEGF-D expressions in gastric cancer cells were not related to the patient's age, sex, and lymph node distant metastasis (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The non-intake high expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in gastric cancer cells is closely related to lymph node metastasis. They serve as the important reference indicator to assess the prognosis in gastric cancer patients.