Case
|
VEGF-C expression
|
definition of metastasis**
|
Detection method*
|
location of tumor cells
|
---|
|
biopsy specimens#
|
metastatic nodes
| | | |
1
|
-
|
-
|
ITC
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
2
|
-
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
ITC
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
5
|
+ +
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
6
|
+
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
7
|
+
|
+
|
micrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
ITC
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
+
|
ITC
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
8
|
+ +
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
micrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
micrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
9
|
+
|
-
|
ITC
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
| |
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
10
|
+ +
|
-
|
micrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
marginal
|
11
|
+ + +
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
-
|
micrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
12
|
+ + +
|
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
| |
+
|
macrometastasis
|
H.E.
|
medullary
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
14
|
+ +
|
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
15
|
+
|
-
|
ITC
|
I.H.C.
|
marginal
|
- *:IHC means immunohistochemical staining with anti-cytochelatin mAb.
- **:Micrometastasis is defined as tumor deposit larger than 0.2 mm but less than 2.0 mm, and ITC (isolated tumor cell) is defined as tumor deposit less than 0.2 mm in the maximum diameter. Larger deposits were classified as macrometastasis.
- #: The number of +/- means the number of examined biopsy specimens obtained from different parts of the tumor.