Lymphatic Microvessel Density is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Colorectal Cancer

• Published in: Diseases of the colon & rectum Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 308 - 314
• Main Authors: Matsumoto, Kentaro, Nakayama, Yoshifumi, Inoue, Yuzuru, Minagawa, Noritaka, Katsuki, Takefumi, Shibao, Kazunori, Tsurudome, Yosuke, Hirata, Keiji, Nagata, Naoki, Itoh, Hideaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Secaucus, NJ The ASCRS 01.03.2007; Springer; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Colorectal Neoplasms - surgery; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lymphangiogenesis; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphatic Vessels - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Statistics, Nonparametric; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Survival Analysis; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Lymphatic system; Rectal disease; Prognosis; Colorectal cancer; Lymphatic; Malignant tumor; Density; Invasion; Colonic disease; Lymphatic microvessel density; Blood vessel; Lymphatic vessel invasion; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Lymphangiogenesis; Podoplanin
• ISSN: 0012-3706; 1530-0358
• DOI: 10.1007/s10350-006-0792-y

PURPOSE:Although lymph node metastasis via lymphatic vessels often is related with an adverse outcome, it is not well known whether lymphatic spread to lymph node needs the development of the new lymphatic formation. In addition, the correlation between lymphangiogenesis and prognosis has not been well documented. This study was designed to assess the prognostic value of lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic vessel invasion in colorectal cancer. METHODS: RESULTS:A significant correlation was observed between high lymphatic microvessel density and positive lymphatic vessel invasion (P = 0.0003). Positive lymphatic vessel invasion was significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0071). The survival curves demonstrated that both high lymphatic microvessel density and positive lymphatic vessel invasion were correlated with an adverse outcome (P = 0.0004 and P = 0.009, respectively). In a univariate analysis, high lymphatic microvessel density and positive lymphatic vessel invasion were negatively associated with the overall survival (P = 0.0011 and P = 0.0118, respectively). Furthermore, high lymphatic microvessel density, but not lymphatic vessel invasion, correlated with a poor outcome in a multivariate analysis (P = 0.0114). CONCLUSIONS: