The expression of ERβ protein correlates with vascular endothelial growth factor and its prognostic significance in human breast cancer

Although cloning of ERβ has prompted a re-evaluation of the role of ERs in human breast cancer and there have been many studies focusing on the clinical value of ERβ detection, however, few reports evaluated the prognostic significance of ERβ based on follow-up data. The VEGF gene transcription may be mediated by different ER subtypes directly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of angiogenesis factor VEGF with different ER subtypes and the prognostic value of ERβ and VEGF in 116 human breast cancer patients. Of these patients, 40 (34.5%) were ERβ protein high expressed and 76 (65.5%) were ERβ protein low expressed. When correlated the ERβ protein levels with other clinical characteristics, statistical significance (p<0.05) was found between ERβ protein expression and menopausel status, and tumor grade. No significance was found between ERβ protein level and node status, stage, or tumor size. Inverse relationship was found between ERβ protein expression and PR status (p<0.05). When comparing the VEGF levels with different ER subtypes a significant difference between ERs and VEGF was found. In ERβ protein high expression group, the VEGF protein was highly expressed (p<0.01), inverse relationship was also found between ERα and VEGF. In univariate analysis ERα, ERβ and VEGF levels had prognostic value for both relapse-free survival and overall survival (p<0.05). However, in a multivariate study, ERβ and ERα protein levels lost the prognostic value either to relapse-free survival or to overall survival. Only VEGF levels acted as an independent prognostic factor to disease-free survival. The result suggested that ERβ protein may have important prognostic value in human breast cancer patients. VEGF expression may be mediated through different ER subtypes.