Clinicopathological study of lymphatic vessel density and distribution in pancreatic cancer / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the clinicopathological significance of lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and distribution in pancreatic cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We measured LVD in 43 pancreatic cancer specimens by immunostaining with specific lymphatic endothelium marker, and examined their relationship with well-defined clinicopathological variables.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intratumoral LVD (9.4 +/- 10.0) was significantly lower than periturmoral (16.0 +/- 9.7) (P < 0.001) and nontumoral LVD (13.5 +/- 6.0) (P < 0.01). Increased peritumoral LVD correlated significantly with tumor staging (P < 0.05) and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The lymphatic vessels distribution in pancreatic cancer samples and peritumoral lymphangiogenesis may promote the malignant progression and lymph node metastasis of pancreatic cancer.</p>