OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of VEGF-C mRNA and to investigate its relationship with clinicopathological parameters in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODSReal-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR was used to measure the level of VEGF-C mRNA in the tumor tissue and corresponding normal mucosa in ESCC patients.

RESULTSThe VEGF-C mRNA expression in tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in the corresponding normal mucosa (6.30 vs. 2.81, P = 0.02), and also significantly higher in the patients with lymph node metastasis than that in those without lymph node metastasis (10.11 vs. 4.15, P = 0.04). Among the patients with metastatic lymph nodes, VEGF-C mRNA expression was 62.19 in the patients with > or = 4 metastatic lymph nodes versus 6.30 in those with < 4 (P = 0.01), and 18.98 in the patients with > or = 3 metastatic lymph node stations versus 4.92 in those with < 3 (P = 0.04). In terms of stage, VEGF-C mRNA expression was significantly higher in the stage II b + III + IV than that in the stage I + II a (9.99 vs. 3.80, P = 0.03). Logistic binary regression analysis showed that VEGF-C mRNA was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis in ESCC (P = 0.01). In survival analysis, 2-year survival rate was not related with VEGF-C mRNA expression (P = 0.46). It was showed by COX regression model that the number of metastatic lymph node stations was the only independent risk factor for survival (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of VEGF-C mRNA play an important role in lymph node metastasis of human ESCC.