Four adjacent lymphovascular populations were in evidence: blood vessels which were strongly CD31 positive and which were devoid of tumor emboli; lymphatics which were strongly D2-40, Prox-1 or VEGFR-3 positive and which were devoid of tumor emboli; lymphatics which were either less circumferentially D2-40, Prox-1 or VEGFR-3 positive or negative and which contained tumor emboli and lymphatics which were either less circumferentially CD31 positive or negative and which contained tumor emboli. The gene discussed is PROX1; the disease is neoplasm.