Angiogenesis and the expression of nm23-H(1) tumor metastatic suppressor gene in primary breast carcinoma and their relations to lymph node metastasis / 中华外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study angiogenesis and the expression of nm23-H(1) tumor metastatic suppressor gene in primary breast carcinoma and their relationship with axillary lymph node metastasis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Intratumoral vascularization in 80 cases of breast cancer was observed preoperatively by power doppler imaging (PDI) and analysed with computer-assisted quantative assessment, and the expression of microvessel density (MVD) and nm23 protein was determined by immunohistochemical technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood flow signals and blood vessels postitive area within masses were more in axillary node positive (LN+) group than in axillary node negative (LN-) group (t = 7.07, P < 0.01), MVD expression were higher in the LN+ group than in the LN- group (t = 6.34, P < 0.01). Meanwhile the expression of nm23-H(1) protein was lower in the LN+ group than in the LN- group, and significant correlation was found between angiogenesis and the expression of nm23-H(1) protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Angiogenesis and the expression of nm23-H(1) protein may play an important role in the lymphatic metastasis process of breast cancer. Furthermore, angiogenesis may correlates with the expression of nm23-H(1) protein in that progress.</p>