The lymphatic system provides an initial route for cancer cell dissemination in many cancers including melanoma. However, it is largely unknown how the lymphatic system changes during tumor progression due in part to the lack of imaging techniques currently available. In this study, we non-invasively imaged changes of lymphatic function and drainage patterns using near-infrared fluorescence (NI...

OBJECTIVES To identify the presence of lymphatic invasion in primary cutaneous melanoma using monoclonal antibody D2-40, a marker of lymphatic endothelium, and to correlate the presence of lymphatic invasion with other clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumors. DESIGN Retrospective melanoma case series study comparing conventional hematoxylin-eosin staining with D2-40 immunostaining for...

It is widely accepted that macrophages and other inflammatory cells support tumor progression and metastasis. During early stages of neoplastic development, tumor-infiltrating macrophages (TAMs) mount an immune response against transformed cells. Frequently, however, cancer cells escape the immune surveillance, an event that is accompanied by macrophage transition from an anti-tumor to a pro-tu...

Running title: EMILIN1 inhibits tumor growth and lymphatic spread Conflict of interest: No conflict of interest has to be disclosed. Author manuscripts have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication but have not yet been edited. EMILIN1 inhibits tumor growth and lymphatic spread 2 ABSTRACT The evidence that EMILIN1 deficiency in Emilin1-/-mice caused dermal and epidermal hyperproliferatio...

Lymphangiogenesis is not only involved in the processes of embryonic development, tissue repair and chronic inflammation, but also in tumor lymphatic metastasis. Metastatic tumor cells spreading through lymphatic vessels occur in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), with regional lymph node metastasis often being the most important prognostic factor for carcinoma patients. Recent research has...

Many questions remain regarding the mechanism of cervical lymph node metastasis via lymphatic vessels. We report here the three-dimensional dynamics of the lymphatic architecture around tumor during growth of implanted VX2 tongue cancer. The tongue and the deep cervical lymph nodes of rabbits were observed at 3, 7 and 10 days after transplantation of VX2 cancer cells (n = 5 in each group). Lymp...

Blood vessels are required for a tumor to grow and functional lymphatic vessels are required for it to disseminate to lymph nodes. In an attempt to eradicate both the primary tumor and its lymphatic metastasis, we targeted both blood and lymphatic vessels using two different tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs): cediranib and vandetanib, which block vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEG...

In view of the importance of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in tumor staging and patient management, sensitive and accurate imaging of SLNs has been intensively explored. Along with the advance of the imaging technology, various contrast agents have been developed for lymphatic imaging. In this review, the lymph node imaging agents were summarized into three groups: tumor targeting agents, lymphat...

The lymphatic system, also named the second vascular system, plays a critical role in tissue homeostasis and immunosurveillance. The past two decades of intensive research have led to the identification and detailed understanding of many molecular players and mechanisms regulating the formation of the lymphatic vasculature during embryonic development. Furthermore, clinical and experimental dat...

The lymphatic vascular system is necessary for the return of extravasated interstitial fluid and macromolecules to the blood circulation, for immune defense, and for the uptake of dietary fats. Impaired functioning of lymphatic vessels results in lymphedema, whereas tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis may contribute to the spread of cancer cells from solid tumors. Recent studies have identified ...