Angioinvasion in breast carcinoma. An immunohistochemical study of factor VIII-related antigen.

Histologic sections from 63 patients with infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast were selected for study by immunohistochemical staining with antibody against human Factor VIII-related antigen. Of these 63, 30 had no lymph node metastases at the time of surgery, while 33 had axillary lymph node metastases. A positive correlation exists between the presence of vascular invasion and lymph node metastases. Sixty-nine percent of patients with lymph node metastases had vascular invasion while only 26% of patients without lymph node metastases showed evidence of invasion of blood vessels. The finding of vascular invasion by tumor in patients without axillary lymph node metastases at the time of mastectomy may explain the occurrence of disseminated disease years after treatment.