Vascular invasion in triple-negative carcinoma of the breast identified by endothelial lymphatic and blood vessel markers.

The aim of this study was to determine lymph vessel invasion (LVI) and blood vessel invasion (BVI) using established biological markers and clinicopathological findings for triple-negative breast carcinoma. We reviewed all 202 cases of primary breast carcinoma that were surgically resected at Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical School, between 2006 and 2009. Tumor tissue was immunostained for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Her2/neu, D2-40, and CD34. Among these, 26 cases of triple-negative carcinoma were reported retrospectively. The results were compared with those of 176 cases of non-triple-negative carcinomas that were included as controls. The frequency of LVI examined by hematoxylin and eosin and D2-40 (triple negative, 7 of 26; non-triple negative, 61 of 176) was not significantly different, and neither was BVI examined by HE, Elastica van Gieson, CD34 (triple negative, 2 of 26; non-triple negative, 16 of 176), and lymph node metastasis (triple negative 9 of 26, non-triple negative, 65 of 176). However, a specific pattern of distant metastasis with a high frequency of visceral metastases was detected in triple-negative carcinoma cases (triple negative, 6 of 26; non-triple negative, 8 of 176). Our findings show that triple-negative carcinoma of the breast may have a distinct biological behavior.