title: Tumour microvessel density as predictor of chemotherapy response in breast cancer patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of intratumoural microvessel density in breast cancer. We studied immunohistochemically primary tumours of 104 patients with metastasised breast cancer who took part in a randomised multicentre trial comparing docetaxel to sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. Vessels were highlighted with factor VIII staining and counted microscopically. Microvessel density was compared with clinical response to chemotherapy and patient survival. The microvessel density of the primary tumour was not significantly associated with patient's response to chemotherapy, time to progression or overall survival in the whole patient population or in the docetaxel or methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil groups. However, disease-free survival was longer in patients with low microvessel density (P=0.01). These findings suggest that microvessel density of the primary tumour cannot be used as a predictive marker for chemotherapy response in advanced breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Haartman Institute, Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. olli.tynninen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tynninen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sjöström
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Boguslawski
authors.forename: N O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heikkilä
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ostenstad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wist
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valvere
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saksela
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paavonen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blomqvist
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011379:Prognosis; D043823:Taxoids; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate