Over-expression of both VEGF-C and Twist predicts poor prognosis in human breast cancer
-
Y.-Q. Zhang [1] ; W.-L. Chen [2] ; F. Zhang [1] ; X.-L. Wei [1] ; D. Zeng [1] ; Y.-K. Liang [1] ; J.-D. Wu [1] ; L.-Y. Zhang [1] ; C.-P. Guo [1] ; H.-C. Zeng [1] ; S.-S. Hao [1] ; R.-H. Li [1] ; W.-H. Huang [1] ; G.-J. Zhang [1]
-
[1] Shantou University Medical College
Shantou University Medical College
China
-
[2] Yue Bei People's Hospital
Yue Bei People's Hospital
China
-
- Localización: Clinical & translational oncology, ISSN 1699-048X, Vol. 21, Nº. 9 (September), 2019, págs. 1250-1259
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
-
Resumen
Background Angiogenesis is an indispensable step in the growth and invasiveness of breast cancers involving a series of exquisite molecular steps. Pro-angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), have been recognized as pivotal therapeutic targets in the treatment of breast cancer. More recently, a highly conserved transcription factor Twist has been reported to be involved in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.
Methods The expression of VEGF-C and Twist was immunohistochemically determined in tissue samples of primary tumors from 408 patients undergoing curative surgical resection for breast cancer. The correlations of VEGF-C and Twist expressions with clinicopathologic parameters as well as survival outcomes were evaluated.
Results Of the 408 patients evaluated, approximately 70% had high expression of VEGF-C which was significantly associated with advanced tumor stages (P = 0.019). Similarly, VEGF-C expression was associated with the proliferation index Ki67, N3 lymph node metastasis, and D2-40-positive lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) in a univariate analysis. Furthermore, patients with high expressions of VEGF-C and Twist (V + T+) had significantly increased lymph node metastasis, higher clinical stage, and worse disease-free survival, DFS (P = 0.001) and overall survival, OS (P = 0.011).
Conclusions Our results suggested that co-expression of VEGF-C and Twist was associated with larger tumor size, higher numbers of lymph node involvement, D2-40-positive LVI, higher risk of distant metastasis, and worse DFS or OS in breast cancer patients.
