IS A HISTOLOGICAL SECTION REPRESENTATIVE OF WHOLE TUMOR VASCULARITY IN BREAST-CANCER

The assessment of a tumour's angiogenic potential, by measuring the mi crovessel density in histological sections, assumes that a 4-mu m sect ion is representative of whole tumour vascularity. This study has exam ined this assumption by comparing the vessel density found radiologica lly, after injecting specimens with contrast, with that found immunohi stochemically. Twenty-one breast angiograms were performed following m astectomy for carcinoma and graded 1-3 for vessel density. Sections (4 mu m) from these carcinomas were labelled for endothelial cells using anti-CD34, and the vessel counts were compared with the radiological grades. A significant correlation was found between the densities (P < 0.003, Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA). We therefore conclude that the microvessel density measured in histological sections is representativ e of whole tumour vascularity.