The association of VEGF-C expression with tumor lymphatic vessel density and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Abstract

These results indicate that the expression of VEGF-C is associated with tumor LVD and lymph node metastasis, suggesting that VEGF-C plays a critical role in node metastasis via lymphangiogenesis. The clinical observation that GIST rarely metastasizes to the lymph nodes may depend on the lack of VEGF-C expression.