title: VEGF expression is associated with negative estrogen receptor status in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression on tumor cells and other clinicopathologic parameters in breast cancer that could give additional information on its prognostic significance. Immunohistochemical analysis of expression of VEGF, estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2/neu, and Ki67 was performed in 233 breast cancers. VEGF expression estimated semiquantitatively was correlated with all the above-mentioned parameters as well as with clinicopathologic characteristics of breast cancer such as menopausal status of patients, tumor size, histologic and nuclear grade, vascular invasion, and lymph node status. Most of the tumor cells and some stromal components expressed VEGF. A higher percentage of VEGF-positive tumor cells was present in premenopausal patients and in ER-negative tumors. In postmenopausal patients tumors with a higher expression of VEGF were associated not only with ER-negative but also with HER-2/neu-positive tumor cells. These ER-negative tumors were characterized by a higher proliferative activity. Angiogenic switch as well as proliferative activity of breast cancer cells probably are unfavorably dependent on estrogen activity. This negative correlation between VEGF expression and ER status may not only shed more light on tumor biology but may also have future therapeutic implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka University Hospital Center, Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuckar
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dekanić
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stifter
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mustać
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krstulja
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dobrila
authors.forename: Nives
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jonjić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000737:chemistry; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A