Methods Specimens were obtained from 30 patients with rectum adenocarcinoma, and examined for the expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in carcinoma region and normal region.

Conclusion the overexpression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in rectum adenocarcinoma may promote the hyperplasia and dilation of lymphatics, and the lymphatic metastasis of the cancer cells.

Objective to investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) on lymphangiogenesis in adenocarcinoma of rectum.