Lymphangiogenesis and New Markers of LymphaticEndothelium

Overview

Objective:
To summarise recent knowledge about lymphangiogenesis, markers of the lymphaticendothelium and their importance to the tumor dissemination.Design: A literature review.Setting: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty, Palacký University, UniversityHospital, Olomouc.Abstracts: Clinicopathological data suggest that the lymphatics are an initial route for the spreadof solid tumors. Detection of sentinel lymph nodes by biopsy provides signifi cant information forstaging and designing therapeutic regimens. The role of angiogenesis (formation of new bloodvessels) in facilitating the growth of tumors has been well established, but the presence of lymphaticvessels and the relevance of lymphangiogenesis (formation of new lymphatics) to tumorspread are less clear. Growth factors involved in lymphangiogenesis during embryogenesis havebeen recently identifi ed and showed to be able to induce formation of intratumoral lymphaticsand thus facilitate metastatic spread to lymph nodes. The development of approaches to blocktumor lymphangiogenesis and treat lymphedema would benefi t from the availability of markersspecifi c for lymphatic endothelium.

Key words:
lmyphangiogenesis, lymphatics, tumor metastasizing