title: The analysis of CD34 antigen immunoreactivity level in invasive ductal breast cancer with respect to the presence of lymph node metastases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis is a basic process that enables neoplasms to thrive. Microvessel density (MVD) evaluation is an accepted parameter for assessing the angiogenesis process within a tumor. The aim of the present study has been to assess the number of microcapillaries in both invasive ductal breast cancer with the presence of metastases in regional lymph nodes and in invasive ductal breast cancer without such metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CD34 antigen immunoreactivity level was assessed by immunohistochemistry in both types of invasive ductal breast cancer. Tissue samples were obtained from 40 patients and were divided into two groups according to whether or not there were lymph node metastases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with lymph node metastases exhibited statistically significantly higher numbers of stained microcapillaries than the patients who did not have lymph node metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus the number of stained microcapillaries as evaluated by using the CD34 immunoreactivity level seems to be a useful predictor for the development of local lymph node metastases in female invasive ductal breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: 1st General Surgery Department of the Jagiellonian University, 40 Kopernik Str, 31-501 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tadeusz J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Popiela
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klimek
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Basta
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niemiec
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobrogowski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotlarz
authors.forename: Lucyna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rudnicka-Sosin
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dutsch-Wicherek