Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C(VEGF-C) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3(VEGFR-3) in rat colorectal cancer, and to provide an experimental material for the role of VEGF-C and its receptor VEGFR-3 in cancer progression and metastasis via lymphatics. Methods The expressions of VEGF-C and its receptor VEGFR-3 in colorectal cancer induced by MNNG were observed by immunohistochemistry staining. Results There was no expression of VEGF-C in normal colorectal tissues, but VEGFR-3 expressed in the lymphatic endothelium. The protein of VEGF-C mainly expressed in the cancer cells and the positive rates were 75% and 100% respectively in the early and the mid-terminal stages of cancer. The positive expression of VEGF-C in the early stage of cancer was higher than that in mid-terminal stage(P<0.05).The protein of VEGFR-3 mainly expressed in the lymphatic endothelium,and the positive rates were 58.33% and 94.12% respectively in the early and the medi-terminal stage of cancer,which showed a significant difference between the two stages(P<0.05).Conclusion The positive expression of VEGF-C in cancer cells is correlated with the development of cancer.It seems that VEGF-C induces lymphangiogenesis through its receptor VEGFR-3.The expression of VEGFR-3 in the lymphatic endothelium is interrelated with cancer progression.The expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 might play an important role in colorectal cancer metastasis via lymphatics.