Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression and its relationship to pelvic lymph node status in invasive cervical cancer

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) has been implicated in lymphangiogenesis, the process of new lymphatics formation. The present study investigated VEGF-C mRNA expression in invasive cervical cancer tissue. Additionally, the association of VEGF-C mRNA with clinicopathological features was examined. VEGF-C mRNA expression was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using β-action as an internal control. 75 patients presenting with invasive cervical cancer were included in the trial. VEGF-C mRNA expression was markedly higher in tumours in which pelvic lymph node metastasis was diagnosed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (P = 0.002). 53 patients displaying stage Ib-IIb cervical cancer underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. VEGF-C expression was significantly higher in tumours exhibiting deep stromal invasion, pelvic lymph node metastasis and lymph-vascular space involvement (P = 0.016, P = 0.006 and P = 0.036, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed VEGF-C mRNA expression to be the sole independent factor influencing pelvic lymph node metastasis. Subjects demonstrating VEGF-C mRNA expression displayed significantly poorer prognoses than those lacking VEGF-C mRNA expression (P = 0.049). These findings provide evidence supporting the involvement of VEGF-C expression in the promotion of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer. Furthermore, examination of VEGF-C expression in biopsy specimens may be beneficial in the prediction of pelvic lymph node metastasis.