title: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: Metastatic spread of tumours is the major cause of death in patients with breast cancer. Despite the importance of the lymphatic system in tumour metastasis, little is known about the role of lymphangiogenesis in tumour growth and metastasis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential usefulness of plasma levels of lymphanagiogenesis factor, vascular endothelial cell growth factor-C (VEGF-C) as a prognostic factor in 122 patients with breast cancer. There was no significant difference between plasma levels of VEGF-C in patients with early (n =81), advanced (n =32) or inflammatory breast cancer (n =9) and 64 age matched healthy controls. We found no significant correlation between VEGF-C with age, tumour size, tumour grade, or disease-free and over-all survival. Plasma VEGF-C levels did not significantly differ in patients with positive oestrogen, progesterone, and Her-2 neu compared to those who were negative for these parameters. In conclusion our study has failed to show any prognostic value for plasma VEGF-C level in patients with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Abdulfattah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Mowallad
authors.forename: Cliona
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirwan
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: Chenggang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Qouzi
authors.forename: Shant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C