Evaluation of prognostic value of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in breast cancer--10 years follow-up analysis.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D expression in stage II, grade 2 and 3, ductal breast cancer patients.


METHODS
The immunohistochemical staining of 98 tumor samples and 5- and 10-year overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed.


RESULTS
A significant relationship between VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression (p=0.000002) was noted. No correlations between protein expression and clinical parameters (tumor size, grade, estrogen receptor status, axillaty lymph node metastases and age) or 5- and 10-year DFS or OS were demonstrated. A close to significant correlation (p=0.084) was observed between high expression of VEGF-C and 5-year OS.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study did not reveal any prognostic value of VEGF-C or VEGF-D. Therefore they are not useful as markers for patients with poor prognosis. Unlike in other studies, our patient group was homogenous which might have contributed to the results obtained.
Gisterek
Iwona
I
Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University and Lower Silesian Oncology Center, Plac Hirszfelda 12, 53-413 Wroclaw, Poland.
Matkowski
Rafał
R
Koźlak
Joanna
J
Duś
Danuta
D
Lacko
Aleksandra
A
Szelachowska
Jolanta
J
Kornafel
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D