Lymphovascular invasion

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI or lymphovascular space invasion) is the invasion of a cancer to the blood vessels and/or lymphatics. Lymphovascular invasion (LVI or lymphovascular space invasion) is the invasion of a cancer to the blood vessels and/or lymphatics. Lymph: A clear or white fluid that travels through vessels, moves within tissues and work to keep all the parts of the body clean.Vascular: The body's network of blood vessels.When cancer spreads to lymph and vascular system, it is thus termed as Lymphovascular Invasion. Lymphovascular invasion, especially in carcinomas, usually precedes spread to the lymph nodes that drain the tissue in which the tumour arose. Conversely, cancers with lymph node spread (known as a lymph node metastases), usually have lymphovascular invasion. Lymph node metastases usually precede secondary tumours, i.e. distant metastases. The absence of LVI in the context of proven lymph node metastasis is usually thought to be due to sampling error.