Diagnostic utility of VEGF in breast lesions

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer has been one of the frequent cancers among women. VEGF is a potent angiogenic factor, contributes to tumor angiogenesis and is upregulated in various cancers. It plays a critical role in cancer progression and is of prognostic significance in breast cancers. Aim: The aim of the study was to analyse the VEGF expression in various breast lesions ranging from benign to malignant in comparison with normal breast. Materials and Methods: The study was done on 20 cases of normal breast, 40 cases of benign breast lesions and 40 cases of malignant breast lesions. The VEGF immunohistochemical overexpression was studied on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections. Results: Statistical analysis using Chi square test was done and p value of Conclusions: The study revealed significant correlation between VEGF expression and malignancies of breast. It was noted that positive tumor cases had poor prognosis and had biologically aggressive behavior. Keywords: Breast cancer, Immunohistochemistry, VEGF.