[Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A and C in human breast cancer and their significance].
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family is related to angiogenesis. VEGF-A and VEGF-C are closely related to tumorigenesis and lymphatic metastasis. This study was to detect the expression of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in breast cancer, and explore their correlation to cell proliferation, microvessel density (MVD), and lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer.


METHODS
The expression of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and CD34 in 98 samples of breast cancer were detected by SP immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The positive rate of VEGF-A was 85.7%; that of VEGF-C was 90.8%. The positive rates of VEGF-A and VEGF-C were significantly higher in cancers with lymph node metastasis than in cancers without lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The positive rate of PCNA was 98.0%; its expression level was increased with the expression levels of VEGF-A and VEGF-C (r=0.432, P=0.000; r=0.294, P=0.001). MVD was significantly higher in cancers with lymph node metastasis than in cancers without lymph node metastasis(64.26+/-26.40 vs. 50.29+/-29.35, P<0.05). MVD was positively correlated to the expression of VEGF-A (r=0.327, P<0.001), but had no correlation to VEGF-C (r=0.123, P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF-A mainly mediates angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and metastasis of human breast cancer. VEGF-C promotes cell proliferation of human breast cancer; it is correlated to lymph node metastasis, but has no correlation to MVD.
Hu
Shuai-Er
SE
Department of Pathology, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China. shuaierhu@126.com
Zhang
Ya-Jie
YJ
Cui
Yu-Mei
YM
Zhang
Hui-Qiu
HQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism*
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C