Objective: We wished to ascertain the relationship between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2, and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9 and various features of ultrasound images in breast cancer (BC) patients.
Methods: Eighty-nine breast lesions were confirmed to have BC by ultrasound, surgery and pathology. According to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System classification method published by the American College of Radiology, six groups were created: spiculation and non-Burr sign; calcification and non-calcification; vascular anomaly syndrome and non-vascular anomaly syndrome; lymph node metastasis (LNM) and non-LNM. In each case, the expression of VEGF, COX-2 and MMP-9 was detected by immunohistochemistry.
Results: Expression of VEGF, COX-2 and MMP-9 was higher in BC patients with the Burr sign than in those without it (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 between the calcification group and non-calcification group of BC patients (P>0.05). Expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 was higher in those with vascular abnormalities than in those without them (P<0.05), as well as in the LNM group compared with the non-LNM group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The high expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 could have an influence on the Burr sign, abnormal blood vessels, and LNM in BC patients using ultrasound.
Keywords: Breast cancer; COX-2; MMP-9; VEGF; ultrasound features.
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