Determination of Microvessel Density by CD34 Immunoreactivity in Female Breast Cancer and its Relation with Grading and Staging

Abstract

Background: Angiogenesis is a basic process that enables neoplasm to thrive. Microvessel density (MVD) evaluation is an accepted parameter for assessing the angiogenesis process within a tumour. The research was focused to evaluate angiogenesis by using CD34 immunomarker in invasive breast cancer and to correlate the microvessel density with grades and stages. Objective: To determine microvessel density by CD34 immunoreactivity in female breast cancer and its relation with grading and staging. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive type of study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Rajshahi Medical College. Forty-five untreated cases of breast cancer were included in this study between the period of July 2019 to June 2021 and paraffin embedded sections were obtained from representative mastectomy specimen. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain followed by evaluation of angiogenesis by using CD34 antibody. Results: In this study, most of the patients (71.1%) belonged to age < 50 years where the mean age was found 47.5 + 12.4 years. In 45 cases, tumour sizes ranged from 1-8 cm. 86.7% (39 cases) ranges from 0-5 cm, where only (6 cases) 13.3% were more than 5 cm. About 30 cases (66.7%) lymph nodes were positive for metastasis. According to histopathological grade 51.1% belonged to grade III followed by 28.9% grade II and 20% grade I. Histological stage showed most of the cases was stage II (48.9 %) followed by stage I (26.7 %) then stage III (24.4 %). Upon statistical analysis, a significant relation was obtained between MVD with increasing histologic grades and stages. Conclusion: As a new prognostic marker it would be of great value in diagnosis and in identifying patients at high risk of tumor recurrence more accurately. By this way breast cancer patients might be benefited from adjuvant therapies.