An immunohistochemical analysis of angiogenesis in invasive breast cancer with correlations to clinicopathologic predictors.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence that angiogenesis plays an important role in the biologic aggressiveness of breast carcinomas and might be used as a prognostic marker.


METHODS
In a series of 140 invasive mammary carcinomas, microvessels were highlighted immunohistochemically using two endothelial markers, factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIRA) and CD31. Cases were divided into high and low microvessel density groups according to the highest number of microvessels found in each tumour's most vessel-dense part. The data was statistically analysed with regard to classic clinicopathologic prognosticators (i.e., histologic type and grade, nuclear grade, tumour size, stage, lymph node status and steroid receptor immunoexpression) by univariate and multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Both markers' counts displayed just a weak skewness. Interestingly, CD31 angiogenesis grade was not influenced by any of the prognostic indicators assessed. FVIIIRA immunoreactivity was significantly affected only by nuclear grade (p = 0.041) in logistic regression analysis. Infiltrating lobular carcinomas frequently demonstrated higher FVIIIRA-positive microvessel densities than ductal invasive carcinomas, at least in the subgroup of patients with absence of nodal metastases and in those patients with highly oestrogen-dependent tumours.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of relation between angiogenesis and either disease stage or lymph node metastasis indicates that this process may be necessary, but not sufficient alone for breast cancer spread.
Nakopoulou
L
L
Department of Pathology, Athens University Medical School, Greece. Inakopou@cc.uoa.gr
Lekkas
N
N
Lazaris
A C
AC
Athanassiadou
P
P
Giannopoulou
I
I
Mavrommatis
J
J
Davaris
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D014841:von Willebrand Factor