Podoplanin as Key Player of Tumor Progression and Lymph Vessel Proliferation in Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

LMVDT correlated with proliferating tumor vessels located in the peritumoral area (p=0.024) and with the number of mature vessels located in the intratumoral area (p<0.0001), while LMVDP correlated with peritumoral mature vessels (p<0.000l). Proliferating tumor cells at the invasive front were highly positive for podoplanin. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first assessment of lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation correlated with podoplanin expression in tumor cells from ovarian cancer. Our data support podoplanin as a potential target that may help reduce ovarian cancer dissemination and lymphatic metastasis.