Expression of VEGF in breast lesions: an immunohistochemical study

Authors

  • Shuaeb Bhat Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir, India
  • Tania R. P. Consultant Pathologist, Shushrusha Co-operative Hospital, Dadar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  • Saleem Hussain Department of Hematopathology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Bushra Sahaf Department of Pathology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Irfan Ansari Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20190103

Keywords:

Breast lesions, Immunohistochemistry, VEGF

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in India. During the last few years, several investigators have focused on tumor angiogenesis as a critical step in cancer development and progression. Among these, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is emerging as a prognostic marker in patients with several type of cancer including breast cancer. The aim of the study was to analyse the expression of VEGF in human breast cancer as compared to normal breast tissue and benign breast lesions by immunohistochemistry. Also, to assess the usefulness of VEGF as a predictor of aggressiveness of breast lesions.

Methods: Formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections of 10 cases of normal breast tissue, 20 cases of benign breast lesions and 20 cases of malignant breast lesions were taken up for the study and subjected to immunohistochemistry using VEGF.

Results: The intensity of VEGF immunostaining in normal breast, benign and malignant breast lesions was evaluated and scoring was graded as 0, 1+, 2+, 3+ and 4+. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-Square test and significant differences were noted between these 3 groups (p value <0.05).

Conclusions:VEGF expression correlated well with the grade and stage of tumor indicating that VEGF positive tumors are biologically aggressive and are associated with poor prognosis but little is known about the implication of genetic alterations of VEGF in benign breast lesions.

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Published

2019-01-23

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2019): January-February 2019

Section

Original Research Articles