The correlation between immunohistochemically-detected markers of angiogenesis and serum vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with breast cancer

Background: As angiogenesis is known to be a crucial factor in breast cancer growth, numerous studies have examined angiogenic markers in breast cancer. Their definite role, however, has not been fully elucidated. Materials and Methods: We investigated intratumoral microvessel density (MVD), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and its receptor flk-1, and serum VEGF in 46 patients with breast cancer prior to surgery. Results: Median serum VEGF in patients with breast cancer was 257.5 pg/mL (range, 21.9 to 899.6). Serum VEGF showed a significant correlation with tumor stage, but not with lymph node involvement, histological grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Increased MVD was associated with advanced tumor stage (p = 0.05) and high tumor grade (p < 0.001). A linear significant correlation between elevated serum VEGF and increased MVD was ascertained (p=0.02). Conclusion: Our results suggested that angiogenesis as reflected by immuno-histochemically-detected MVD and serum VEGF, is involved in breast cancer growth and lymphatic spread.