Relationships among the expression of VEGF, MMP-2 , MMP-9 and metastasis in breast carcinoma

Objective To study the expression of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in benign and malignant lesions of breast and their effects on breast carcinoma's invasiveness and metastasis. Methods VEGF,MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression was detected by SP method in 20 breast fibroadenoma and 12 normal breast specimens taken from non-cancerous regions adjacent to breast cancer tissue and 38 breast carcinomas. Results The expression rate of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast carcinoma was remarkably higher than those in normal breast tissue and breast fibrogdenoma (63.2% vs 25.0% and 30. 0% ,78. 95% vs 33.3% and 35.0% and 71.1% vs 41.7% and 45.0% ,respectively; P ＜0.05). There was a correlation between VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and nodal metastasis ( P ＜0.05). High expression of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was correlated with pathological grade ( P ＜ 0.05, respectively). The overexpression of VEGF was related with those of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer( VEGF and MMP-2:rs =0.541, P ＜0.01 ;VEGF and M M P-9: rs = 0.11, P ＜ 0.01; MMP-2and M MP-9: rs= 0P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion VEGF,MMP-2 and MMP-9 overexpression is strongly related to the invasiveness and metastasis of breast carcinoma, which might be valuable in evaluating tumor invasion and metastasis. Key words: Matrix metalloproteinase 2/ME;  Matrix metalloproteinase 9/ME;  Vascular endothelial growth factors/ME; Breast neoplasms/ME/PA;  Neoplasm invasiveness;  Neoplasm metastasis