The determination of VEGF and MVD, among patients with primary breast cancer.

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the value of assessment of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and microvessel density, and to search for correlations between them, in women with breast cancer. The assessment considered factors such as the stage of clinical disease advancement--according to International Union Against Cancer, the grade of histological malignancy, status of axillary lymph nodes and the size of the primary tumour. The concentration of VEGF was assessed in the plasma of 103 women with breast cancer, using an immunoenzymatic method (Quantikine test of R&D Systems). Assessment of microvessel density was performed using histopathological immunoperoxidase methods, using an anti-von Willebrand factor antibody (DAKO A/S). A statistically significant relationship was found between rising VEGF levels and microvessel density in women with breast cancer, when compared to values from a control group. A correlation was found between VEGF concentration and microvessel density (MVD) values. Statistically significant differences were found between VEGF levels of patients in stages I, II and III of clinical disease advancement. For MVD, differences were found only between stages I and III. A statistical relationship was also found between VEGF and MVD and tumour size. Similar results were found between VEGF concentrations in women with metastases to the axillary lymph nodes and cytokine levels in women with no metastases. The results of the study suggest that the degree of tumour vascularization and the concentration of VEGF may represent valuable indicators for the assessment of the angiogenic process in women with breast cancer.