[Relationship between D2-40-labeled lymphatic vessel invasion and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of D2-40 labeling for detecting lymphatic vessels in breast cancer tissues and the clinicopathological implications of lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI).


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of D2-40 and lymphatic invasion in 72 cases of breast cancer and 15 benign breast tumor tissues, and their correlations to the clinicopathological factors were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positivity rate of LVI was 69.4% in breast cancer tissue. In patients with lymph node metastasis, the positivity rate of LVI was significantly higher than that in patients without lymph node involvement (85.7% vs 54.1%, P<0.01), and LVI was found to be positively correlated to axillary lymph node metastasis (r=0.382).


CONCLUSIONS
D2-40 can specially and reliably mark the lymphatic vessels in breast cancer tissues. LVI is positively correlated to axillary lymph node metastasis and occurs earlier than the latter, therefore should be included in routine clinicopathological testing.
Department of Breast Disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. sung2001@126.com
Gui-po
GP
Ding
Chang-sheng
CS
Ye
Min-feng
MF
Liu
Le-feng
LF
Zhen
Jia-jian
JJ
Liao
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal