Objective To investigate the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and its receptor Flt-4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in order to analyze the relationships among their expressions, angiogenesis, lymph-genesis, and clinicopathologic features of HCC. Methods Sixty-two cases of HCC and 15 cases of normal hepatic tissue were studied with immunohistochemical method in order to inspect the expressions of VEGF-C and Flt-4, and to calculate the microvessel density (MVD) marked by CD34 and the lymphatic vessel density (LVD) marked by Flt-4. Besides their correlations, their relations with clinicopathologic features of HCC were further analyzed. Results The positive rates of VEGF-C and Flt-4 were obviously higher in HCC than those in normal hepatic tissue (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). The expression of VEGF-C in HCC was remarkably related with portal vein tumor emboli, histological differentiation of HCC, and postoperative recurrence and metastasis (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). The expression of Flt-4 in HCC was also related with histological differentiation and postoperative recurrence (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). MVD was related with tumor size, TNM clinical stage, histological differentiation, portal vein tumor emboli, and postoperative recurrence and metastasis (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). LVD was related with histological differentiation, postoperative recurrence and metastasis (Plt;0.05, Plt;0.01). Additionally, there was positive correlation between VEGF-C and Flt-4, MVD or LVD, Flt-4 and MVD or LVD, MVD and LVD, respectively (Plt;0.01). Conclusions VEGF-C and Flt-4 are highly expressed in HCC, and are related with postoperative recurrence, are positive correlated with MVD and LVD. It suggests that VEGF-C/Flt-4 might has an effect on progression and prognosis of HCC through promoting angiogenesis and lymph-genesis.
