The Correlation Between Expression Of VEGF-C, Its Receptor And Lymph Node Metastasis In Breast Cancer Cancer And Its Clinical Significance

PrefaceMetastasis is not only a basic biological character of malignant tumors, but also the most deadly aspect of cancer. Nowadays it is considered as a major clinical prognostic factor for patients with cancer. However, the mechanism of metastasis is still largely unknown.Metastasis mainly includes lymphatic vessels and blood tube metastasis. The study of lymphatic vessels is to be disregarded in long time. Vascular endothelial growth factor - C ( VEGF - C ) is a member of VEGF family and the only factor that can combine receptor VEGFR - 3 located at endothelium of lymphatic vessels and modulates the physiological function of lymphatic vessel. Lymphatic vessels have been proved to support the growth of tumor, and they also have important effect on metastasis in many types of malignant tumors because of their structure and function. Previous study showed that VEGF - C/ VEGFR - 3 system play a modulating role in metastasis of many kinds of tumors. VEGF - C is found to be expressed in many solid tumors, and associated with proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells.Breast cancer is the most common type of malignant tumor in women. Recently it is the first leading incidence of malignant tumor in city women in China. Lymph node metastasis is an important factor for evaluating clinical prognosis in patients with breast cancer. There are evidences that metastasis in lymphatic vessels may occur in early stage of breast cancer. The result may be helpful for us to study metastasis. In this study, we examined the expression of VEGF - C/ VEGFR - 3 and LVD in human breast carcinoma tissue in order to check wheth-er there is a correlation between expression of them and clinical pathological characteristics, metastasis. We will research the molecular mechanism underlying lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer for providing theoretical basis for anti - lymphagenesis and anti - lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer.Materials and MethodsThe expression of VEGF - C and its receptor VEGFR - 3 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 83 specimens of breast cancer, including 44 specimens with lymphatic metastasis and 39 specimens without lymphatic metastasis. We also observe 6 specimens of breast besides the cancer and 5 specimens of fibrocys-tic chang of the breast. All cases were confirmed by pathologic diagnosis. The staining result was analyzed via optical microscope. Furthermore, statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 10. 0 in order to investigate the difference between breast cancer with and without lymphatic metastasis.Results1. VEGF - C expressed in 36 of all 83 cases of primary breast cancer, and the expression rate was 43. 3% . VEGF - C is expressed mainly in carcinomatous cytoplasm of breast cancer. VEGF - C is not expressed in 11 specimens of no breast cancer. The positive reaction appears brightly brown - yellow staining. The positive ratio of VEGF - C expression (59.4% ) in lymph - node - positive group were significantly higher than those in the negative group ( P < 0. 05 ). Furthermore, the expression of VEGF - C was not associated with age, pathological features,clinical stage and the expression level of ER,PR,cerBb -2. The expression of VEGF - C was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis.2. The immunostaining of VEGFR -3 was localized not only in the endothe-lial cells of carcinomatous vessels, but also in cancer cells. And VEGFR - 3 is not expressed in 11 specimens of no breast cancer. LVD were not associated with lymph node metastasis, age, pathological features, clinical stage and the expression level of ER, PR, cerBb -2.3. There is significant difference in expression of between LVD and VEGF- C - expression — positive group and negative group. The expression of VEGF- C was positively correlated with LVD(r =0. 367 ,P <0.05).Conclusions1. There is higher expression in breast cancer. The positive ratio of VEGF- C expression in lymph — node — positive group were significantly higher than those in the negative group. That indicates that expression of VEGF - C is closely associated with lymphatic metastasis in breast cancer.2. The expression of VEGF - C was positively correlated with the expression of LVD. Overexpression of VEGF - C in breast cancer may increase the production of lymphatic tube.3. Overexpression of VEGF - C may increase the possibility of lymphatic metastasis by inducing lymphagenesis in cancer tumor, expression of VEGF - C is closely associated with lymphatic metastasis in breast cancer. They can be considered as reliable clinical factor for evaluating lymphatic metastasis and prognosis in patients with breast cancer,and be helpful for clinical treatment.