The expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in ovarian cancer and its clinical significance

Objective: To study the relationship between VEGF-C、VEGFR-3 expression and clinicopathologic features in patients with ovarian cancer.Methods: Immunohistochemical staining and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in 120 cases of ovarian cancer.The significance of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 expression was analyzed statistically.Results: The postive rates of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 mRNA and protein expression were higher in papillary carcinomas than those in benign ones (P<0.005-P<0.01).The expression rates of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 were higher in clinical stageⅠ, Ⅱthan those in stage Ⅲ, Ⅳ, and which were increased with the grading (P<0.005-P<0.05).And the expressions were higher in patients with lymph node involvement than those without metastasis (P<0.005-P<0.05).Conclusions: In ovarian cancer, the abnormal expressions of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 had obvious relationship to clinical stage, pathological grade, lymph node involvement.Detection of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in ovarian cancer might be helpful to predict prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer.