Correlation between color doppler flow imaging and microvessel density, and the Nottingham prognostic index in breast cancer patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and microvessel density (MVD), and the Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) in breast cancer patients. Methods One hundred patients with breast carcinoma, who had undergone CDFI and surgery, were involved in this retrospective study from September 2011 to December 2013 in the First Peoples’ Hospital of Lianyungang. CDFI was divided into 4 levels: absent (grade 0), minimal (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), and marked (grade 3). The MVD was measured by immunohistochemical staining of their formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue with monocloal antibody CD34. NPI was calculated as: NPI= 0.2×tumor size (cm) + grade (Ⅰ-Ⅲ) + lymph node score (1-3). Results Blood signal grades were positively correlated with MVD (F=26.997, P<0.001) and NPI (Spearman r=0.555, P<0.001). With the increasing of CDFI, the number of MVD and value of NPI increased gradually. Conclusion CDFI may be useful as a prognostic indicator for patients with breast carcinoma. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Ultrasonography, doppler, color