Clinical Implication of Microvessel Density and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in Breast Cancer / 华中科技大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

The clinical implication of microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in breast cancer and the relationship between them were studied. Specimens of 53 cases of breast cancer were examined for MVD in tumor and VEGF expression by using immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that the mean MVD in node-positive breast cancers and in the patients with postoperative distant metastasis was higher than that in node-negative breast cancers and those without metastasis, respectively (both P<0.01). The expression rate of VEGF in breast cancer was 67.92 % and was closely relative to MVD. It was suggested that MVD was closely correlated with metastasis of the tumors and might be a useful prognostic indicator for breast cancer. VEGF might be an important factor responsible for the induction of angiogenesis in breast cancer.