E-ISSN: 2587-0831 ISSN: 2587-0831
THE IMPORTANCE OF SERUM VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR -C,-D AND -C/D RATIO TO DETERMINE LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN BREAST CANCER; PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL STUDY
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Research Article
VOLUME: 3 ISSUE: 3
P: 125-130
July 2007

THE IMPORTANCE OF SERUM VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR -C,-D AND -C/D RATIO TO DETERMINE LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN BREAST CANCER; PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL STUDY

Eur J Breast Health 2007;3(3):125-130
Atilla Soran 1
Belma Koçer 2
Nuray Yazıhan 3
Süleyman Sürmeli 2
Haluk Ataoğlu 3
Bülent Ünal 2
Ömer Cengiz 2
1. Pittsburgh Universitesi, Cerrahi Onkoloji, Pittsburgh, ABD
2. Ankara Numune Araştırma ve Eğitim Hastanesi, 2. Genel Cerrahi Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye
3. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Moleküler Araştırma ve Geliştirme Birimi, Ankara, Türkiye
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 02.05.2007
Accepted Date: 07.08.2007
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ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

Nodal metastasis is recognized as a powerful prognostic marker in breast carcinoma, however confl icting reports exist for the precise involvement of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in lymph node metastasis. The aim of this prospective study was to determine serum VEGF-C, VEGF-D levels and correlation of VEGF-C/D ratio with lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma.

MATERIAL and METHOD:

In this study, serum levels of VEGF-C, VEGF-D were determined by ELISA in patients with pretreated breast carcinoma (n=80) and healthy women (n=20). Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used as statistical methods for comparisons of the variables, and the discrimination of VEGF-C, VEGF-D and VEGF-C/D ratio was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS:

The mean age of the patients was 50.9 (22-81) years. The mean level of VEGF-C was signifi cantly higher in patients than control (p=0.033); however, no statistically signifi cant diff erence was observed for serum VEGF-D levels. VEGF-D was decreased in patients having lymph nodes metastases as compared to patients having negative axillary lymph node (p=0.030) metastases. The VEGF-C/D ratio was signifi cantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in patients having negative axillary lymph node (p=0.040). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that VEGF-C and VEGF-D are regulators in the lymph node metastases in breast cancer. It may be advocated that the reduced level of VEGF-D may allow more lymphangiogenic VEGF-C to bind the receptors.

Keywords:
breast cancer, vascular endothelial growth factors, lymph node, metastases