Clinical application and research progress of lymphovascular markers for breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer has become the most common malignant tumor in women, and its diagnosis and treatment principles mainly depend on the traditional histological and molecular pathological features. However, the systemic metastasis of breast cancer begins when cancer cells invade the primary tumor site as well as surrounding blood and lymphatic vessels. Pathologists have been able to distinguish between lymphatic and vascular invasion through a combination of immunohistochemical and vascular endothelial labelling techniques, and have recognized the role of lymphatic endothelial cells and vascular endothelial cells in tumor progression and metastasis. This paper summarizes the relevant clinical research progress and application of specific lymphovascular endothelial markers in breast cancer in recent years, in order to provide ideas for further revealing the progress mechanism of breast cancer and exploring new prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• vascular endothelial marker
• lymphovascular invasion
• lymphangiogenesis
• angiogenesis
• podoplanin
• platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule
• endoglin
• vascular epidermal growth factor receptor
• chemokine receptor