Clinicopathological significance of NGX6 expression in breast cancer and its relationship to angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to explore clinicopathological significance of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma-associated gene 6 (NGX6) expression in breast cancer and its relationship to angiogenesis. METHODS Clinicopathological feature of 168 patients with breast cancer were analyzed. NGX6 expression and microvessel density (MVD) in tumor tissue were measured using immunohistochemistry methods. The association of NGX6 expression with MVD and clinicopathological features was assessed. RESULTS Among 168 cases of breast cancer, NGX6 positive expression were found in 92 (54.8%) cases and NGX6 negative expression were found in 76 (45.2%) cases. Incidence rate of large size tumor, high tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node metastasis in NGX6 negative expression group were higher than NGX6 positive expression group in breast cancer (P=0.003, 0.007, and 0.003, respectively). MVD in NGX6 negative expression group is 22.5±4.8, MVD in NGX6 positive expression group is 15.2±4.2. MVD in the NGX6 negative expression group was significantly higher than the NGX6 positive expression group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The expression of NGX6 was closely associated with tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and MVD. NGX6 is involved in metastasis and angiogenesis activity of breast cancer. The study may provide a theoretical basis for anti-angiogenic therapy of breast cancer.