Angiogenesis in breast cancer is related to age but not to other prognostic parameters

Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis. In spite of its relevant biological significance, recent studies have produced conflicting results regarding the capacity of microvessel quantifications in breast carcinomas to predict patients' outcome and the existence of metastasis. In order to provide further information in this issue, we evaluated tumour angiogenesis in a series of 45 primary breast carcinomas (mean age: 55.3 +/- 14.2) and examined their association with established or potentially useful prognostic parameters. Microvessels were highlighted by immunohistochemical staining for factor VIII-related antigen and counted in the three most vascularized areas in a 200 x field (0.74 mm2) by four observers simultaneously. Results were analysed for the average vessel count of each case. The mean intratumoural microvessel count was 57.7 +/- 24.4 (range: 24.3 to 127.7). We found a statistically significant association between angiogenesis and age. The microvessels count in patients younger than 50 years was 67.8 +/- 26.4, from 51 to 70 years, 52.0 +/- 22.8 and over 71 years, 46.1 +/- 14.2 (p = 0.03). Node positive patients had slightly higher microvessel counts (60.3 +/- 25.3) than node negative ones (54.4 +/- 23.5); this difference was not significant (p = 0.42), even when we considered each age group per se. No association was found between angiogenesis and tumour size, histologic grade, estrogen receptor, MIB-1 index, ploidy and expression of p53 and c-erbB-2. Our results suggest that invasive breast carcinoma-induced angiogenesis is age-dependent.