Association of Tumor Angiogenesis with bcl - 2 Expression in Breast Cancer Patients

Kim, Do Yil; Lee, Hy De; Jung, Woo Hee

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic significances of angiogenesis and bc1-2, and association of each other, we investigated the correlation of microvessel count for angiogenesis and bcl-2 expression in breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We analysed immunohistochemistry staining from paraffin blocks in a series of 145 women with breast cancer. Immunohistochemical staining to detect factor VIII-related antigen highlighted the microvessels within primary invasive breast carcinoma. Using light microscopy, we counted microvessels per 200X field in the most active areas of neovascularization. To determine the bcl-2 immunoreactivity, we used a monoclonal antibody directed against the bcl-2 protein.
RESULTS
The median of microvessel count (MVC) was 31.5, and the proportions of tumors with low and high MVC were 51% and 49%. Eighty (55.2%) cancers showed the bcl-2 immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm. The microvessel count were correlated with lymph node status (p <0.001), tumor size (p=0.001), and lymphatic invasion around tumor (p=0.009). bcl-2 expressions were corelated with estrogen receptor positivity (p<0.001) and progesterone recepter positivity (p=0.029). The microvessel counts were negatively correlated with bcl-2 expression (p=0.006).
CONCLUSION
This study suggest that the angiogenesis which was investigated by micro- vessel counts was negatively correlated with bcl-2 expression.