Correlation of Blood Oxygen Content to HIF-1α and Microvascular Density in Breast Cancer Tissues

Objective To explore the correlation of blood oxygen content to hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α) and microvascular density(MVD) in breast cancer tissues. Methods Blood oxygen content was determined by breast oxygen function imaging before surgery. MVD and HIF-1α were determined by immunohistochemical method and then the correlation of blood oxygen content to HIF-1α and MVD in breast cancer tissues was analyzed. Results (1) The coincidence rate of high blood content and low oxygen content in 151 cases of breast cancer tissues was 81.47%, and the blood oxygen contents were not significantly different in intraductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma or invasive ductal carcinoma (P>0.05). (2) Blood content, Oxygen content and MVD were significantly different in breast cancer tissues with high and low blood content(P<0.05 or P<0.01). (3) Along with the increased level of HIF-1α expression, blood content and MVD were significantly increased(P<0.01), but oxygen content was not significantly different (P>0.05). (4) Blood content in breast cancer tissues was positively related to HIF-1α and MVD (P<0.01), but oxygen content was not related to HIF-1α or MVD (P>0.05). Conclusion Blood content in breast cancer tissues is related to the prognostic factors, MVD and HIF-1α, and could be used as the indirect indicator for the prognosis of breast cancer.