title: Lymphatic and blood vessels in male breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is assumed that lymphatic vessels are responsible for breast cancer dissemination.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 32 male breast carcinomas we evaluated the correlation between: (i) lymphatic vessel density (LVD), distribution of podoplanin-immunostained vessels (DPV), blood vessel density (BVD), infiltration of immune cells and (ii) known clinicopathological parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lymphatic and blood vessels were found in 77.8% and 100% of breast carcinomas, respectively. Double-negative estrogen and progesterone receptor tumors (ER-/PR-) presented significantly higher LVD than ER/PR positive cases, while high-grade tumors exhibited significantly higher DPV than low-grade carcinomas. We detected significantly higher frequency of vascular invasion in high-grade and double-negative carcinomas than in low-grade and ER/PR-positive ones, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between high number of lymphatic vessels and high tumor grade or steroid receptor negativity might confirm the hypothesis regarding the influence of lymphangiogenesis on the formation of a more aggressive phenotype in male breast cancer.
authors: Department of Applied Radiobiology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Centre of Oncology, Kracow, Poland joanna@eikon.pl.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Niemiec
authors: Clinic of Oncology, Department of Breast and Chest Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Centre of Oncology, Kracow, Poland.
authors: Beata
authors: B
authors: Sas-Korczynska
authors: Department of Tumor Pathology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Centre of Oncology, Kracow, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Harazin-Lechowska
authors: Clinic of Oncology, Department of Breast and Chest Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Centre of Oncology, Kracow, Poland.
authors: Dariusz
authors: D
authors: Martynow
authors: Department of Applied Radiobiology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Centre of Oncology, Kracow, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Adamczyk
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000098853:Podoplanin
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C117468:PDPN protein, human; D000098853:Podoplanin
keywords: CD34; Male breast cancer; blood vessels; lymphatic vessels; podoplanin