ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of MMP-2 , MMP-9 and Cathepsin-D expression in lymph node-negative human breast carcinoma. Methods Specimens from the primary breast tumors of 270 axillary lymph node negative breast cancer patients were studied for MMP-2 , MMP-9 and Cathepsin-D protein expression by immunohistochemical staining. Results The positive expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and Cathepsin-D was 56.7%(153/270),59.6%(161/270) and 55.6%(150/270), respectively. In univariate analysis, MMP-2, MMP-9 and the co-expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly associated with tumor free survival. In multivariate analysis, co-expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was unfavorablely related with tumor free survival(RR=2.487; P
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To study the expression of VEGF, VEGF-C, fit-4 in breast cancer and its relationship with lymph node metastasis and explore the significance of lymphangiogenesis on metastasis via lymphtics. Methods: Paraffin-embedded specimens from 82 patients with primary breast cancer who had undergone radical mastectomy with lymph node dissection were studied. VEGF, VEGF-C, flt-4 expression were investigated by immunohistochemical staining. Results: Positive staining for VEGF, VEGF-C, flt-4 were observed in some breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the expression of VEGF-C, flt-4 were significantly higher in lymph node-positive group than in node-negative group. Correlation was found within the expression of VEGF-C, flt4 also. Conclusions: Clinical significance was found between VEGF-C, flt-4 expression and lymph-node metastasis in breast cancer, and may be involved in the metastatic process.