A new significance of LVD and angiogenic MVD is identified in human primary SCRC

Lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis are critical processes for tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Angiogenesis has established its role in the development and progression of a variety of malignancies, playing a crucial role in the dissemination of the tumor cells. However, because of the lack of specificity lymphatic endothelial makers that could be used to discriminate between lymphatics and blood vessels, the definite significance of lymphangiogenesis in sporadic colorectal carcinoma (SCRC) was not very clear.

A research article to be published on January 7, 2008 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology (volume 14, issue 1) addresses this question. The research team led by Pr. Xiang Du from Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, has investigated the lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and microvessel density (MVD) in tumoral areas of 132 cases with primary SCRC. Of the 132 cases, 74 were metastatic cases and 58 non-metastatic cases, which were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, using antibodies of D2-40 and von Willebrand factor (vWF) respectively. In addition, the researchers detected them by double labeling immunohistochemistry to prove the specificity of D2-40.

One conclusion reported by the investigators is that the lymphatic vessels and microvessels at central portions of SCRC often had a reticular architecture, with numerous tiny and ill-defined lumina, while those at tumor borders had large and open lumina. The LVD and MVD were both obviously higher in the cases of colorectal carcinoma with metastasis than in cases without metastasis. For each one lymphatic vessel increased, there was a 1.45-fold increase in the risk of metastasis in SCRC, and for each one microvessel increased, there was a 1.11-fold increase. The specificity and sensitivity of LVD in predicting metastasis or non-metastasis in SCRC were both higher than LVD.

Another conclusion is that high LVD, high MVD, co-accounting of high LVD and high MVD were associated with patients' poor disease-free survival and co-accounting of LVD and MVD was an independent prognostic factor of colorectal carcinoma.

In addition, double labeling immunohistochemistry showed D2-40 immunoreactivity was specific for lymphatic vessels.

6.1 Reference: Yan G, Zhou XY, Cai SJ, Zhang GH, Peng JJ, Du X. Lymphangiogenic and angiogenic microvessel density in human primary sporadic colorectal carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14(1): 101-107
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/14/101.asp

6.2 Correspondence to: Dr. Xiang Du, Department of Pathology, Cancer Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
E-mail: dx2008cn@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-21-64175590-3357 Fax: +86-21-64174774

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. The WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

The WJG Press mainly publishes World Journal of Gastroenterology.