Influence of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 expression on the molybdenum-targeted X-ray in breast cancer

Aim: To investigate the correlation of the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) in breast cancer tissues with molybdenum-targeted X-ray images. Materials and Methods: Sixtynine patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast confirmed by molybdenum-targeted mammography, surgical, and pathologic examinations were enrolled. The expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 were detected by immunohistochemical staining (IHS) and the correlation of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 expression and classification of breast cancer on molybdenum-targeted X-ray was statistically analyzed. Results: The expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in spiculation group (n = 50), vascular abnormalities group (n = 21), and lymph node metastasis group (n = 29), than the other three groups, respectively. However, the expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 had no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the group with (n = 30) and without (n = 39) calcification. Conclusion: Expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 is highly correlated to the mammaographic appearance of spiculation, vascular abnormalities, and lymph node metastasis. However, the present results suggest that expression of VEGF, COX-2, and MMP-9 is either not or weakly correlated to mammographic appereance of calcification.

Breast cancer; Molybdenum-targeted mammography; VEGF; COX-2; MMP-9.

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