The VEGF-C expression level was higher in the normal lung tissues than in the tumour tissues (130.2±59.7 vs 65.1±46.1, P=0.03), while there was no significant difference in the VEGFR-3 expression level between these tissues (53.5±101.4 vs 42.1±33.4, P=0.73). Here, VEGFC is linked to neoplasm.