The relationship between the cancerous tissue and serum VEGF-C levels with level 1, level 2 and level 3 axillary lymph nodes metastasis and VEGF-C levels of metastatic lymph nodes in breast cancer patients

VEGF-C has been shown with strong lymphangiogenetic effect. In breast cancer, significant correlation between VEGF-C expression and lymph node metastasis has been observed like most of the cancer types. But its effect to the axillary lymphatic levels has been neglected. In this clinical study, we aim to find out the probable relationship between the VEGF-C and lymphatic metastasis and the other prognostic factors via VEGF-C expression immunohistochemically (IHK) both in tumoral tissue and lymph nodes. Our another aim is to explore that cancerous tissue VEGF-C levels has any effect to the axillary lymphatic levels.This study has include 16 patients that were accepted as breast cancer in our clinic and planned to perform MRM. After informed consents have been taken both tumoral breast tissue and lymph nodes have been stained for VEGF-C expression. As a result, VEGF-C expression -both in cancerous tissue and lymph nodes- is significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis statistically. Cancerous tissue VEGF-C levels also has been positively correlated with c-erbB2 levels, lymphovascular invasion and capsular invasion but it has no relation with axillary lymphatic levels. It has also negative correlation with oestrogen and progesteron receptor positivity. This study shows that VEGF-C is a probable prognostic factor which correlates with lymphatic metastasis in breast cancer.