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. 2017 Mar-Apr;26(2):245-249.
doi: 10.17219/acem/58784.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and D2-40 expressions in primary breast cancer: Association with lymph node metastasis

Aydan Eroğlu  1 , Cevriye Ersöz  2 , Durdu Karasoy  3 , Serpil Sak  2
Affiliations
Free article

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and D2-40 expressions in primary breast cancer: Association with lymph node metastasis

Aydan Eroğlu et al. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2017 Mar-Apr.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Two members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family, VEGF-C and -D, are known as lymphangiogenic growth factors and play an important role in tumor lymphangiogenesis via activation of the VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-3, which is expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells. D2-40 is a specific antibody for lymphatic vessel density (LVD).

Objectives: In the present study, we have aimed to evaluate whether intraand peri-tumoral D2-40-positive lymphatic vessels affect lymph node metastasis and to investigate the relationship between LVD and lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.

Material and methods: We have evaluated the relationships between lymph node metastasis and VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGFR-3 and D2-40 expressions in breast cancer cells using immunohistochemistry. VEGF-C, VEGF-D and VEGFR-3 expression were found in tumor cells in the majority of the cases (83.75, 97.5 and 95%, respectively).

Results: There was a significant positive relationship between VEGF-D expression and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05) however no significant association was found in VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 expressions. It was found that patients with high-expression of VEGF-D have a high level of both periand intra-tumoral LVD compared to those with low expression of VEGF-D (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Our results support that examination of VEGF-D expression in breast cancer cells may be beneficial in the identification of lymph node metastasis.

Keywords: D2-40; VEGF; breast cancer; metastasis.

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