Abstract | AIMS: METHODS AND RESULTS: Tumour sections from 468 breast cancer patients were immunostained for VEGF, VEGFR-1, and VEGFR-2, and their relationships with tumour vascularity, disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) in bone marrow and other clinicopathological parameters were evaluated. VEGF, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 immunoreactivities were observed in invasive breast carcinoma cells. VEGF expression was significantly associated with VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 expression (P < 0.001). High-level cytoplasmic expression of VEGFR-1 was associated with significantly reduced distant disease-free survival (DDFS) (P = 0.017, log-rank) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (P = 0.005, log-rank) for all patients, and for node-negative patients without systemic treatment (DDFS, P = 0.03, log-rank; BCSS, P = 0.009, log-rank). VEGFR-1 expression was significantly associated with histopathological markers of aggressiveness (P < 0.05). Significantly reduced survival was observed in DTC-positive patients as compared with DTC-negative patients in the combined moderate/high VEGFR-1 group (P < 0.001 for DDFS and BCSS), and the same was true for DDFS in the moderate VEGFR-2 group (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: High-level expression of VEGFR-1 indicates reduced survival. Higher-level expression of VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2 in primary breast carcinomas combined with the presence of DTC selects a prognostically unfavourable patient group.
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Authors | Hari Prasad Dhakal, Bjørn Naume, Marit Synnestvedt, Elin Borgen, Rolf Kaaresen, Ellen Schlichting, Gro Wiedswang, Assia Bassarova, Ruth Holm, Karl-Erik Giercksky, Jahn M Nesland |
Journal | Histopathology
(Histopathology)
Vol. 61
Issue 3
Pg. 350-64
(Sep 2012)
ISSN: 1365-2559 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 22690749
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
Chemical References |
- Biomarkers, Tumor
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
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Topics |
- Biomarkers, Tumor
(analysis)
- Breast Neoplasms
(metabolism, mortality, pathology)
- Carcinoma
(metabolism, pathology)
- Disease-Free Survival
- Female
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- Kaplan-Meier Estimate
- Neoplasm Grading
- Neoplasm Invasiveness
(pathology)
- Neoplasm Staging
- Neovascularization, Pathologic
(metabolism, pathology)
- Prognosis
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
(biosynthesis)
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
(biosynthesis)
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