LYVE1 and neoplasm: As recent experimental studies and clinicopathological reports suggest that tumor lymphangiogenesis can promote tumor spread through the secretion of lymphangiogenic growth factors [21], [22], we investigated the presence of lymphatic vessels in primary tumors by immunofluorescence staining for LYVE-1 (lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1), a specific marker of lymphatic endothelial cells [23].