VEGF-D expression correlates with colorectal cancer aggressiveness and is downregulated by cetuximab

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the colorectal cancer patients (n = 108)

	n	%
UICC-stage
I	15	13.9
II	36	33.3
III	23	21.3
IV	34	31.5
Grading
G 1	4	3.7
G 2	85	78.7
G 3	17	15.7
G 4	2	1.9
Lymph node metastasis
pN 0	53	49.1
pN 1	21	19.4
pN 2	34	31.5

Table 2 Correlation of expression levels of EGFR, VEGF-C and VEGF-D with tumour and patient characteristics

	EGFR				VEGF-C				VEGF-D
	Total	+ ve	%1	P	Total	+ ve	%1	P	Total	+ ve	%1	P
Stage (UICC)				0.197				0.220				0.048
I	15	6	40.0		14	7	50.0		14	9	64.3
II	36	14	38.9		34	26	76.5		35	27	77.1
III	23	15	65.2		20	16	80.0		21	9	42.9
IV	34	14	41.2		34	25	73.5		34	25	73.5
Differentiation grading				0.063				0.030				0.066
Well	4	0	0		4	1	25.0		4	1	25.0
Not well	104	49	47.1		98	73	74.5		100	69	69.0
Tumour invasion (TNM)				0.797				0.050				0.438
T1/T2	21	9	42.9		20	11	55.0		20	12	60.0
T3/T4	87	40	46.0		82	63	76.8		84	58	69.0
Lymph node metastases				0.283				0.600				0.025
1 to ≤ 6	37	20	54.1		35	27	77.1		36	18	50.0
≥ 7	18	9	50.0		17	13	76.5		17	14	82.4
Age				0.837				0.813				1.0
≤ 60	35	15	42.9		33	25	75.8		33	22	66.7
≥ 61	73	34	43.6		69	49	71.0		71	48	67.6

¹Percentages relate to number of positive tumours out of total number of cases in the subclass.