FLT1 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes: In the peripheral blood, a significantly higher number of VEGFR1 mRNA positive cases belonged to the following clinical subgroups: those in stages 3 and 4 (P<0.001), invasion deeper than the muscularis propria (P<0.01), lymphatic involvement (P<0.001), vascular involvement (P<0.0001), lymph node metastases (P<0.0001), positive peritoneal lavage cytology (P<0.001), perioperative overt metastases (e.g., liver or lung P<0.05) and postoperative recurrence (P<0.01).