Table 2.

Korrelation of VEGF-C/VEGF-D/VEGFR-3 expression in gastrointestinal tumors and clinical outcome.

Tumor Type	Findings	Reference
Esophageal cancer	Correlation VEGF-C/VEGF-D expression to tumor progression, lymphatic spread	[47,48]
	Strong correlation between VEGF-C expression and lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma, but not in adenocarcinoma.	[49]
Gastric cancer	Positive correlation between VEGF-C/VEGF-D expression and lymphatic metastasis	[50,51]
	No association of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and VEGF-C expression with survival in patients with gastric cancer	[52]
Pancreatic cancer	Expression VEGF-C/VEGF-D correlate with evidence of lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.	[53,54]
	Lymphatic spread of ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma is independent of lymphangiogenesis (no overexpression of VEGF-C/VEGF-D	[55]
Esophageal cancer	Pos. correlation of VEGF-C/VEGF-D expression with lymphatic metastasis and poor prognosis	[25]
	No correlation between VEGF-C/VEGF-D expression and clinicopathological variables	[56,57]