Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation, motility and survival in vitro and tumor formation in vivo.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in some human carcinomas, but its role in tumorigenesis has not been fully elucidated. We examined VEGFR-3 expression in normal, nonneoplastic and early stage malignant breast tissues and have shown that VEGFR-3 upregulation in breast cancer preceded tumor cell invasion, suggesting that VEGFR-3 may function as a survival signal. We characterized the biological effects of VEGFR-3 over-expression in human breast cancer cells based on two approaches: gain of function by overexpressing VEGFR-3 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and loss of function by RNAi-mediated silencing of VEGFR-3 in MCF-7-VEGFR-3 and BT474 cells.

Isolated metastatic extremity liposarcoma to the liver, an uncommon and transient finding.

Background: Extremity liposarcomas can metastasize to different areas of the body but have rarely been demonstrated to metastasize to the liver. Due to the unusual occurrence of isolated metastatic extremity liposarcoma to the liver, the optimal treatment of this condition is unknown.

Case Presentation: Less than one year after resection of a myxoid/round cell liposarcoma of the left lateral calf, a 61-year-old male presented with a CT scan showing a 2 cm low-density lesion in the right lobe of the liver.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 and focal adhesion kinase bind and suppress apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) are protein tyrosine kinases that are overexpressed in human cancer and play an important role in survival signaling. In addition to its involvement with cell survival, VEGFR-3 is a primary factor in lymphatic angiogenesis. Because FAK function is regulated by its COOH terminus (FAK-CD), we used FAK-CD as a target to identify binding partners.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer.

The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer has been evolving during the past two decades. Fisher's group accomplished the scientific rationale in mouse models in the 1970s. The Milan group was the first to use neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced breast cancer and also determined that adjuvant sequential doxorubicin with cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/fluorouracil (CMF) offered improved survival when compared to alternating CMF with doxorubicin.