Relationship between mast cell subtype with angiogenesis and prognostic parameters in breast carcinoma: Morphometric study

Relationship between Mast Cell Subtype with Angiogenesis and Prognostic Parameters in Breast Carcinoma: Morphometric Study Aim: It was aimed to reveal relationships between tumour anjiogenesis, mast cell subtypes and prognostic parameters in breast carcinomas. Methods: Prognostic parameters of 66 patients diagnosed with breast carcinoma were reviewed and recorded. Blocks which represent tumour morphology were chosen. Immunhistochemically, mast cell chymase (MCch), mast cell tryptase (MCtr) and CD31 stains were used to identify mast cell subtypes and microvascular density (MVD). Results: It was found that statistically significant between MCtr positive mast cell (MCT) and MVD (p=0.018). No relationships between prognostic factors and MVD was found. MCch positive mast cells (MCC), MCT and total mast cell (TMC) were higher in under age of 50 than over age of 50 and were statistically significant difference between them (p=0.018, p=0.005, p=0.002, respectively). MCC was higher in carcinomas without lymphovascular invasion than carcinomas with lymphovascular invasion and was statistically significant difference (p=0.050). Statistically, there was negative relationship between estrogen expression and MCC, and it was detected that MCC decreases as estrogen increases (p=0.040). There were no any relationships between TMC, mast cell subtypes and other prognostic parameters such as tumour size, metastasis in axillary lymph node, histologic subtypes, histologic grades, tumour necrosis, invasion to fat tissue, perinodal invasion, Cerb-B2 and hormone profile. Conclusion: In breast carcinoma, there were positive correlation between MCT and angiogenesis, so we can evaluate increase in number of MCT as a poor prognostic factor. We considered that increase in number of MCC was a poor prognostic factor because there was negative correlation between MCC and estrogen expression. Moreover, we considered that increase in number of mast cell was a good prognostic factor because mast cells were higher in under age of 50 and MCC were higher in the group without lymphovascular invasion. In conclusion, confusion still continues about whether mast cell and subtypes are good or poor prognostic factor in breast carcinomas and comprehensive investigations are neededed about this subject. Key words: breast carcinoma, angiogenesis, mast cell, mast cell tryptase, mast cell chymase, prognostic parameters.