Vascular targeting effect of combretastatin A-4 phosphate dominates the inherent angiogenesis inhibitory activity.

The current research aimed to define hypothesis-based anti-angiogenic properties of the vascular targeting agent combretastatin A-4 phosphate (combreAp). The in vitro wound assay indicated that combreAp potently inhibited migration of endothelial cells (EC). A significant inhibition of migration could already be measured after 2 hr of treatment.

Anti-apoptotic phenotype is associated with decreased locoregional recurrence rate in breast cancer.

Purpose: Tumor stage and nodal status are the most important factors predicting locoregional recurrence in breast cancer. We wanted to investigate the prognostic value of some newer molecular genetic markers for the occurrence of a locoregional recurrence, in order to improve the selection of patients for locoregional adjuvant therapy.

Methods: Bcl-2, p53, MIB-1, pS2 and CD44v6 were determined immunohistochemically on formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tumour tissues of 163 patients treated by modified radical mastectomy between 1982 and 1987.

Relevance of the expression of bcl-2 in combination with p53 as a prognostic factor in breast cancer.

Background: Both the proto-oncogene bcl-2 and the tumour suppressor gene p53 are involved in the regulation of apoptosis.

Patients And Methods: We have investigated the prognostic value of the immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bcl-2 separately and in combination in a group of 345 breast cancer patients from one hospital with a long median follow-up of more than 10 years.

Results: Bcl-2 expression was not a prognostic factor.

MIB-1 labelling index is an independent prognostic marker in primary breast cancer.

The proliferative activity of a tumour is considered to be an important prognostic factor in primary breast cancer. We have investigated the prognostic value of the MIB-1 labelling index in 341 patients with primary breast cancer and compared the results with the S-phase fraction in 220 patients of the same cohort. All patients were treated in one hospital and had a median follow-up of 128 months.

CD44v6 is not a prognostic factor in primary breast cancer.

Background: CD44 is an adhesion molecule and represents a highly variable family of isoforms. The isoform CD44v6 has been associated with metastasis formation and poor prognosis in animal models and human colon cancer. Results of studies in primary breast cancer are relatively small and contradictory.