TY - JOUR T1 - VEGF-C, VEGF-D and Flt-4 in Transitional Bladder Cancer: Relationships to Clinicopathological Parameters and Long-term Survival JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 3127 LP - 3133 VL - 27 IS - 5A AU - EDWIN HERRMANN AU - ELKE ELTZE AU - STEFAN BIERER AU - THOMAS KÖPKE AU - TOBIAS GÖRGE AU - JÖRG NEUMANN AU - LOTHAR HERTLE AU - CHRISTIAN WÜLFING Y1 - 2007/09/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/27/5A/3127.abstract N2 - Background: Our aim was to determine the role of the lymphangiogenic markers VEGF-C, VEGF-D and Flt-4 in transitional bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: Archival cystectomy tumor blocks of 286 patients were selected for construction of a tissue microarray (TMA). Paraffin sections were assessed immunohistochemically using polyclonal antibodies against VEGF-C, VEGF-D and Flt-4. Staining results were evaluated semiquantitatively and analyzed for their association with various clinicopathological factors. Results: There was no association of VEGF-C with histopathological parameters or clinical outcome. Patients with VEGF-D overexpression had higher pathological tumor stages (p=0.021) and regional lymph node metastasis (p=0.008). Furthermore, they had a significantly reduced disease-free survival (p=0.042). Overexpression of Flt-4 was particularly present in the subgroup of G3 and G4 tumors (p=0.001) and was associated with a shorter disease-free survival (p=0.041). In multivariate analysis, only tumor stage and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic parameters. Conclusion: Targeting VEGF-D and Flt-4 could be a useful tool to predict and control progression of bladder cancer. Copyright© 2007 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -