Tumoural vascularity as a prognostic factor in cancer patients: the evidence continues to grow

Abstract

Accurate prognostic indicators would help in identifying patients at high risk for recurrence and death. Recent and previous studies indicate that intratumoural microvessel density (iMVD) of invasive breast carcinoma (a measure of tumour angiogenesis) is associated with aggressive tumour growth; iMVD may thus be a valuable prognostic indicator. Moreover, the bulk of accumulating data indicates that microvessel density in the area of most intense neovascularization in invasive breast carcinoma is an independent, significant and accurate prognostic indicator in predicting poorer survival. Such an indicator would be useful in the selection of high-risk patients with breast carcinoma for systemic adjuvant therapy.