Objective To investigate the value of serum concentration of VEGF-C in the prognosis of advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods Thirty-five patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were selected from Aug. 2006 to Feb. 2008, ELISA method was used to detect the serum level of VEGF-C, CA19-9 and KPS score was calculated, and survival was analyzed by Kaplan Meier method. The survival difference was calculated by log rank. Cox regression model was used to perform univariate and multivariate analysis. Results The mean serum concentration of VEGF-C was ( 1309 ± 542 ) pg/ml in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, which were significantly higher than that those in normal control [ (278 ±115) pg/ml, P <0.01 ]. In Cox regression, KPS score, serum CA19-9 and VEGF-C were independent factors (x2 =7.208, 6.908, 3.867, P = 0.007, 0.009, 0.049). In multivariate analysis, serum VEGF-C and KPS score were independent factors (x2 =4.873, P=0.027, x2 =5.274, P =0.022). Using serum concentration of VEGF-C at 1280 pg/ml as the cut-off point, the mean survival of patients with VEGF-C ≤1280 pg/ml was 10.0 months, and the median survival was 11.3 months, 1 year cumulative survival was 50.0% ; while they were 6.0 months, 6.3 months and 5.9% in patients with VEGF-C > 1280 pg/ml, and the difference was statistically significant (x2 = 9.400, P= 0.002). Using KPS score 70 as the cut-off point, the mean survival of patients with KPS <70was 6.0 months, and the median survival was 6.6 months, 1 year cumulative survival was 21.4% ; while they were 9.0 months, 10.1 months, 33.3% in patients with KPS score ≥70,and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =4.040, P =0.044). The difference of the median survival, 1 year cumulative survival in patients with CA19-9 ≤200 U/ml or >200 U/ml was not statistically significant (10.0 months vs. 7.8 months, 37.5% vs. 21.1% ; x2 =1910, P=0. 167). Conclusions Serum concentration of VEGF-C can used as an independent factor for predication of prognosis of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.