VEGF-C expression in breast cancer: Clinical importace

ABSTRACT VEGF-C EXPRESSION IN BREAST CANCER: CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The behaviours of tumor cells change when they have angiogenic phenotype and they become more aggressive. It has been found many angiogenic factors in human body. The most important angiogenic molecules are VEGF family. Lymphangiogenesis has been explored in recent years. VEGF-C ligand has strong lympangiogenic effect and this has been shown many times. Lymphangiogenesis has important role in lymphovascular invasion, metastasis to regional lymph nodes and also the development of distant organ metastasis. In this study VEGF-C, which is an essential stimulant in lymphangiogenesis, has been studied in breast cancer and its prognostic and/or predictive value has been compared with known classic prognostic indicators. Two hundred seventeen patient with breast cancer followed by Medical Oncology Unit of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine have been included in this research. VEGF-C has been evaluated by immunohistochemistry and cytoplasmic staining was considered for this aim. VEGF-C expression was compared with classical prognostic indicators such as tumor stage and grade, axillary lymph node involvement, estrogen and progesteron receptor status, c-erb- B2 expression and lymphovascular invasion. There was not a statistically important association between VEGF-C expression and other prognostic indicators. This result can be explained by the lack of standardization among the methods used to determine VEGF-C expression. Lymphangiogenic effect may not be overt due to the different and nonfunctional VEGFR-3 variants. In addition heterogeneity of breast tumors and our study population and also lack of some parameters in some patients may be a contributing factor in this results. To determine the association between angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and prognosis, we need better standart methods to show the angiogenesis and also prospective studies covering larger more homogenous patient population. Keywords: angiogenesis, breast cancer, lymphangiogenesis, prognosis, VEGF-C VI