Background/aims: Lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis are essential for cancer metastasis. The aim of this study was to assess lymphatic microvessel density and microvessel density in human gallbladder carcinoma tissues, detect their correlation with the tumor's clinical pathological properties and evaluate their utilities for resection of gallbladder tumor.
Methodology: Tissue microarray blocks containing primary gallbladder cancer and adjacent normal tissue specimens obtained from 118 patients with gallbladder carcinoma were constructed. Lymphatic microvessel density and microvessel density were quantified using immunohistochemistry. Survival was determined using univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results: Microvessel density correlated with tumor stage and liver metastasis (p < 0.01). Lymphatic microvessel density correlated with tumor stage (p < or = 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (p < or = 0.05).There was a very weak correlation between microvessel density and lymphatic microvesseldensity (p < 0.05, r = 0.282). In univariate and multivariate analysislymphatic microvessel density and microvessel density were independent prognostic factors.
Conclusions: Lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis played important rolein theprocesses of metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma. Measurements of lymphatic microvessel density and microvessel density can be used to estimate gallbladder cancer metastatic risk and provide some useful information for gallbladder carcinoma surgery.