Detection of serum VEGF and MMP-9 levels by Luminex multiplexed assays in patients with breast infiltrative ductal carcinoma.

Junying Zhang,Jianzhong Wu,Haixia Cao,Tao Xu,Li Yin,Jinhai Tang,Ye Zhang,Rong Ma

doi:10.3892/etm.2014.1685

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of the combined detection of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) by Luminex multiplexed assays for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of breast cancer. Preoperative levels of serum VEGF and MMP-9 were detected via a lipid chip-based method in 301 breast cancer cases, 83 breast fibroadenoma cases and 40 healthy adults. Postoperative levels of VEGF and MMP-9 were also detected in 118 breast cancer cases. The levels of serum VEGF and MMP-9 in patients with breast infiltrative ductal carcinoma (IDC) were higher than those in the breast fibroadenoma and healthy control groups (P<0.05); there was no statistically significant difference between the breast fibroadenoma and healthy groups (P>0.05). The levels of VEGF and MMP-9 were shown to correlate with the clinical stage, tumor size and the lymph node metastasis status. However, the levels were not associated with age or gender (P>0.05). In addition, the serum level of MMP-9 exhibited a significantly correlation with the VEGF level (r=0.601, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that in patients with IDC, serum levels of VEGF and MMP-9 prior to surgery were significantly higher than those following surgery (P<0.05). Therefore, the serum levels of VEGF and MMP-9 can be used as markers for the diagnosis of breast IDC and may also be valuable for the prediction of lymph nodes metastasis.

Highlights

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among females in China, and the incidence of breast cancer is increasing continuously
A previous study demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) can accelerate tumor metastasis by promoting neovascularization and lymphangiogenesis [4]
Mean levels of serum Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)‐9 were significantly higher in the breast cancer patients when compared with the levels in the breast fibroadenoma patients and the healthy controls (Table I; Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among females in China, and the incidence of breast cancer is increasing continuously. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in EMT. VEGF is considered to be an important and effective factor in stimulating vascularization, which participates in tumor invasion and metastasis [5]. The value of combined detection of VEGF and MMP‐9 levels in breast cancer remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the combined detection of VEGF and MMP‐9 is valuable for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of breast cancer. For this purpose, the levels of VEGF and MMP‐9 were compared among breast cancer patients, fibroadenoma patients and healthy adults using a lipid‐chip based method

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion