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- Title
The role of VEGF-C staining in predicting regional metastasis in melanoma.
- Authors
Barbara Boone; Willeke Blokx; Dirk De Bacquer; Jo Lambert; Dirk Ruiter; Lieve Brochez
- Abstract
Abstract Sentinel lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor in primary melanoma. The number of melanoma-associated lymphatic vessels has been associated with sentinel lymph node status and survival. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) is found to promote tumour-associated lymphatic vessel growth. In many human neoplasms, VEGF-C expression in neoplastic cells or tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) has been linked to lymphatic dissemination of tumour cells. Recent studies have suggested a correlation between VEGF-C expression in primary melanoma and the presence of lymph node metastasis. We performed VEGF-C immunohistochemical staining on melanoma tissues of 113 patients with known sentinel lymph node status. We showed that both high VEGF-C expression in melanoma cells and TAMs are positively associated with the presence of a positive sentinel lymph node. No correlation with Breslow thickness, Clark invasion level or ulceration could be detected. VEGF-C expression in melanoma cells was predictive of a shorter overall and disease-free survival, without being an independent predictor of survival. Our results confirm that VEGF-C expression in primary cutaneous melanoma plays a role in the lymphatic spread of the tumour.
- Subjects
VASCULAR endothelial growth factors; METASTASIS; LYMPH node diseases; MELANOMA; CANCER cells; MACROPHAGES; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY
- Publication
Virchows Archiv: European Journal of Pathology, 2008, Vol 453, Issue 3, p257
- ISSN
0945-6317
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00428-008-0641-6