Clinicopathological Study of predictors of delayed cervical lymph node metastases in tongue carcinoma.

对舌鳞癌迟发性颈淋巴结转移的免疫组化研究进行了探讨。1983年10月至1997年6月间，34例舌癌ⅰ、ⅱ期患者中有8例（33.3%）发现迟发性颈淋巴转移。我们检测了血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、Flt-4、E-cadherin和Ki-67的表达及其与迟发性颈淋巴结转移的关系。VEGF表达强度与迟发性颈淋巴结转移相关，但无统计学意义（p=0.0845）。E-cadherin表达及Ki-67阳性率与迟发性颈淋巴转移无相关性（E-cadherin: p=0.8091, Ki-67: p=0.8218）。flt -4阳性癌的血管密度高于flt -4阴性癌（p=0.0083）。这些发现提示VEGF和Flt-4的表达可能是舌癌迟发性颈淋巴结转移的预测因子。

Immunohistochemical study associated with delayed cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were investigated. Delayed cervical lymph node metastases were found in 8 (33.3%) of 34 patients with tongue carcinoma of stage I and II from October 1983 to June 1997. We examined the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Flt-4, E-cadherin and Ki-67 and their relationship to delayed cervical lymph node metastases. The intensity of VEGF expression tended to correlate with delayed cervical lymph node metastases, but not significant (p=0.0845). The expression of E-cadherin and Ki-67 positive rate did not correlate with delayed cervical lymph node metastases (E-cadherin : p=0.8091, Ki-67 : p=0.8218). The vessel density in Flt-4-positive carcinomas was higher than that in Flt-4-negative carcinomas (p=0.0083). These findings suggest that the expression of VEGF and Flt-4 are probably predictors of delayed cervical lymph node metastases in tongue carcinoma.