title: Assessment of microvessel density in core needle biopsy specimen in breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Estimation of microvessel density (MVD) in primary breast cancer in core needle biopsies (CNB) may predict response to systemic therapy. The aim of the present study was to explore the accuracy of assessment of MVD in CNB related to MVD in excised tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  MVD was estimated in core biopsies and subsequently excised tumours in 54 consecutive patients with breast cancer without pre-operative treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The correlation between MVD in CNB and excised tumours was non-significant. However, in tumours larger than 20 mm (r=0.56, p=0.005) and in lobular carcinomas (r=0.55, p=0.014) a significant correlation was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall accuracy between estimation of MVD on CNB and excised breast tumours was non-significant. The usefulness of MVD in CNB as a marker of response to systemic therapy should be further validated before it can be used in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden. lisa.ryden@helsingborgslasarett.se
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rydén
authors.forename: Poul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boiesen
authors.forename: Per-Ebbe
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jönsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A