BACKGROUNDTo determine the relationship between VEGF-C/VEGF-R3 expression and clinicopathologic factors and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSVEGF-C and VEGF-R3 expression was detected in 84 patients with NSCLC by immunohistochemical staining. The significance of VEGF-C and VEGF-R3 expression was analyzed statistically.

RESULTSIn the immunoreactive cells, staining was mainly located in cytoplasm and membrane. VEGF-C and VEGF-R3 were highly expressed in lung cancer tissues (55.9% and 59.5%, respectively) while negative in the normal lung tissues. The expression of VEGF-C significantly correlated with histology (P=0.013). VEGF-R3 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.002) and TNM stage (P=0.020). Multivariate analysis showed that VEGF-R3 (P < 0.001) and histology (P=0.020) were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSDetection of VEGF-R3 in lung cancer tissues might be helpful to predict prognosis of patients with lung cancer.