Comparative morphometric evaluation of microvessel density and nuclear area in ductal carcinoma in situ and hyperplastic ductal breast lesions

Tumour angiogenesis, as assayed by microvessel density, has been proposed as a prognostic factor in invasive breast cancer. Angiogenesis in noninvasive tumours and hyperplastic mammary lesion has not been well-established. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the microvessel density in ductal proliferative breast lesions and to investigate the relationships between microvessel density and histopathologic features. In addition, morphometric measurement of nuclear area in ductal proliferative breast lesions and its relationship with microvessel density has been examined. Thirty-four cases were evaluated, 19 ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) and 15 of usual and atypical ductal hyperplasias. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Feulgen, and then immunostained with an endothelial cell marker (anti-CD34). We utilized a CUE-2 (Olympus) Image Analysis System for morphometric analysis. In each case, microvessels surrounding involved spaces within the fields having the greatest vascularization were then counted. There was a statistically significant association between microvessel count and nuclear area, and between each of them separately with histological features. Moreover, two different distribution patterns of stromal microvessels, in DCIS and ductal hyperplastic epithelial lesions, were distinguished. In conclusion, our findings show an increase in blood vessel density and mean nuclear area from ductal hyperplasia to poorly differentiated DCIS, which is statistically significant.