INDEPENDENT PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS

BACKGROUND: Recently tumor microvessel density has been shown to be a powerful prognostic tool in breast cancer. We attempted to assess its significance as a prognostic factor. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of 100 patients using univariate and multivariate analyses of nine factors as follows; age, tumor size, nodal status, estrogen recep tor, C-erbB2, p53, microvessel density, DNA ploidy pattern, and S-phas e fraction. RESULTS: Nodal status and microvessel density were indepen dent prognostic indicators for both survival and relapse-free survival . Microvessel density was independent in the node-negative subgroup fo r survival, but not independent in the node-positive subgroup, while i t was independent in both the node-negative and node-positive subgroup s for relapse-free survival, Short-term survival rates in the high and low vessel density subgroups were almost the same, and all patients w ith early death were node-positive, CONCLUSION: Microvessel density wa s an important prognostic factor especially in node-negative patients and more significant in long-term survival, (C) 1998 by Excerpta Medic a, Inc.