Over-expression of both VEGF-C and Twist predicts poor prognosis in human breast cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Angiogenesis is an indispensable step in the growth and invasiveness of breast cancers involving a series of exquisite molecular steps. Pro-angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), have been recognized as pivotal therapeutic targets in the treatment of breast cancer. More recently, a highly conserved transcription factor Twist has been reported to be involved in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.

METHODS:

The expression of VEGF-C and Twist was immunohistochemically determined in tissue samples of primary tumors from 408 patients undergoing curative surgical resection for breast cancer. The correlations of VEGF-C and Twist expressions with clinicopathologic parameters as well as survival outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS:

Of the 408 patients evaluated, approximately 70% had high expression of VEGF-C which was significantly associated with advanced tumor stages (P = 0.019). Similarly, VEGF-C expression was associated with the proliferation index Ki67, N3 lymph node metastasis, and D2-40-positive lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) in a univariate analysis. Furthermore, patients with high expressions of VEGF-C and Twist (V + T+) had significantly increased lymph node metastasis, higher clinical stage, and worse disease-free survival, DFS (P = 0.001) and overall survival, OS (P = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results suggested that co-expression of VEGF-C and Twist was associated with larger tumor size, higher numbers of lymph node involvement, D2-40-positive LVI, higher risk of distant metastasis, and worse DFS or OS in breast cancer patients.

• Authors: Y-Q Zhang, W-L Chen, F Zhang, X-L Wei, D Zeng, Y-K Liang, J-D Wu, L-Y Zhang, C-P Guo, H-C Zeng, S-S Hao, R-H Li, W-H Huang, G-J Zhang
• Journal: Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (Clin Transl Oncol) Vol. 21 Issue 9 Pg. 1250-1259 (Sep 2019) ISSN: 1699-3055 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 30788837 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Nuclear Proteins
• TWIST1 protein, human
• Twist-Related Protein 1
• VEGFC protein, human
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C

Topics

• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Breast Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology, surgery)
• Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (metabolism, pathology, surgery)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Nuclear Proteins (metabolism)
• Prognosis
• Survival Rate
• Twist-Related Protein 1 (metabolism)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (metabolism)