Over expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in correlation to Ki-67, grade, and stage of breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To assess the significance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein over expression in human breast cancer, and its possible correlation with cell proliferation marker (Ki-67), grade and stage of breast cancer.

METHODS: We carried out this study at the Department of Pathology, Kufa University, between November 2006 and September 2007. A retrospective study was employed on paraffin-embedded blocks from 52 female patients with breast cancer. A group of 21 patients with benign breast lesions was included for comparison and 14 cases of normal breast tissue as a control group. This investigation designed to employ immunohistochemistry using Avidin-Biotin Complex (ABC) method for detection of both VEGF and Ki-67.

RESULTS: A total of 87 samples was included. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression was considered as positive in 61.5% of malignant and in 19% of benign breast lesions. No over expression sign has been noticed in normal breast tissue (p<0.005). No significant difference in VEGF over expression among different histological types of breast cancer (p>0.05). Vascular endothelial growth factor immunostaining was positively correlated with Ki-67, grade, stage, lymph node metastasis, and recurrence of breast cancer (p<0.05). No such correlation has been seen when the age of the patients has been considered.

CONCLUSION: Vascular endothelial growth factor Vascular endothelial growth factor plays an important role in pathogenesis of breast cancer evolution, and supports the evidence of its role in angiogenesis and cell survival. This study recommended that the blocking of VEGF may be a target for blocking angiogenesis and hence improving the efficacy of anti-cancer therapy.