title: The correlation between immunohistochemically-detected markers of angiogenesis and serum vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As angiogenesis is known to be a crucial factor in breast cancer growth, numerous studies have examined angiogenic markers in breast cancer. Their definite role, however, has not been fully elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated intratumoral microvessel density (MVD), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and its receptor flk-1, and serum VEGF in 46 patients with breast cancer prior to surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median serum VEGF in patients with breast cancer was 257.5 pg/mL (range, 21.9 to 899.6). Serum VEGF showed a significant correlation with tumor stage, but not with lymph node involvement, histological grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Increased MVD was associated with advanced tumor stage (p=0.05) and high tumor grade (p<0.001). A linear significant correlation between elevated serum VEGF and increased MVD was ascertained (p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that angiogenesis as reflected by immunohistochemically-detected MVD and serum VEGF, is involved in breast cancer growth and lymphatic spread.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. tilmann.lantzsch@medizin.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: Tilmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lantzsch
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hefler
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kehl
authors.forename: Christiiian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goepel
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koelbl
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunst
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lampe
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016014:Linear Models; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor