1. ¹Translational Cancer Research Group Antwerp, Laboratory of Pathology, University of Antwerp/University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem 2650, Belgium; Oncology Centre, General Hospital Sint-Augustinus, Wilrijk 2610, Belgium
2. ²Laboratory of Angiogenesis Research, Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
3. ³Department of Microbiology, Laboratory of Angiogenesis Research, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
4. ⁴NetCare Molecular Medicine Institute, Unitas Hospital and Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
5. ⁵Medical Research Council Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
6. ⁶Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Victoria 8006, Australia
7. ⁷Cancer Research UK Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK

Correspondence: Dr PB Vermeulen, Laboratory of Pathology, General Hospital St-Augustinus, Oosterveldlaan 24, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. E-mail: peter.vermeulen@gvagroup.be

Received 24 May 2006; Revised 18 September 2006; Accepted 26 September 2006; Published online 21 November 2006.

Abstract

The lymphatic system is the primary pathway of metastasis for most human cancers. Recent research efforts in studying lymphangiogenesis have suggested the existence of a relationship between lymphatic vessel density and patient survival. However, current methodology of lymphangiogenesis quantification is still characterised by high intra- and interobserver variability. For the amount of lymphatic vessels in a tumour to be a clinically useful parameter, a reliable quantification technique needs to be developed. With this consensus report, we therefore would like to initiate discussion on the standardisation of the immunohistochemical method for lymphangiogenesis assessment.