Circulating lymphangiogenic growth factors in gastrointestinal solid tumors, could they be of any clinical significance?

Table 1 Mammalian vascular endothelial growth factor family of ligands

	Receptor	Chromosomal location	Angiogenesis	Lymphangiogenesis
VEGF	VEGFR1, VEGFR2, NRP1	6p23.1	+	Conflicting data1
VEGF-B	VEGFR1, NRP1	11q13	Conflicting data	-
PIGF	VEGFR1 NRP1, NRP2	14q24	Modest	Not determined
VEGF-C	VEGFR2 VEGFR3 NRP2	4q34	Modest	+
VEGF-D	VEGFR2 VEGFR3	Xp22.31	Modest	+

¹Indirect lymphangiogenic effect, by recruiting VEGF-C and VEGF-D producing macrophages[15]. Lymphangiogenesis via alternative, VEGFR3-independe pathway[16].