TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS AS A PROGNOSTIC MARKER IN INFILTRATING LOBULAR CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

The importance of angiogenesis, assessed by tumour microvessel density , as a marker of survival was examined in 160 patients with infiltrati ng lobular carcinoma of the breast (ILC), The median follow-up was 5.1 years. Of these patients, 46 were node-negative, 59 mere node-positiv e, and in 55 the pathological lymph node status was not known. Tumour sections were immunohistochemically stained with Factor VIII-related a ntibody Microvessels were identified using previously recommended meth odology and counted in three separate fields, selected from areas of h ighest vascularity, at x 200 magnification (field area = 0.785 mm(2)). Only the highest count was considered in the analysis. No association was found between microvessel density and age, menopausal status, tum our size, histological subtype, peritumoural vessel invasion, and lymp h node involvement at presentation, There was no association between m icrovessel density and overall survival or relapse-free survival. Thes e results suggest that microvessel density assessment, using currently recommended methods, is unlikely to be of prognostic value in ILC.