Basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor serum levels in breast cancer patients and healthy women: useful as diagnostic tools?

Table 2 Tumor and serum basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in relation to clinical, pathological and biological characteristics in breast cancer patients

	Tumor bFGF			Serum bFGF
	Number of cases	% positive cells [median (range)]	P	Number of cases	Serum level (pg/ml) [median (range)]	P
Age
51–70 years	41	45 (0–90)	0.25	46	2.2 (0.3–15.1)	0.40
> 70 years	22	65 (5–100)		27	3.0 (0.4–26.6)
Histotype
Ductal	54	55 (0–100)	0.68	60	2.2 (0.3–26.6)	0.90
Others	9	60 (0–85)		13	2.3 (0.4–5.2)
Tumor size
≤ 2 cm	43	55 (5–100)	0.53	51	2.3 (0.3–26.6)	0.37
> 2 cm	20	63 (5–100)		21	1.9 (0.4–11.1)
Node status
Node-negative	30	63 (0–100)	0.69	35	2.5 (0.3–15.1)	0.43
Node-positive	27	65 (0–100)		28	2.0 (0.5–26.6)
Grade
1–2	38	62.5 (0–100)	0.99	42	2.3 (0.3–15.1)	0.57
3	12	60 (5–100)		13	3.1 (1.5–26.6)
Steroid status
ER-positive	43	45 (0–100)	0.43	49	2.2 (0.3–15.1)	0.32
ER-negative	10	65 (5–95)		11	3.5 (1.8–11.1)
PgR-positive	32	38 (0–100)	0.12	35	2.0 (0.4–8.6)	0.19
PgR-negative	21	70 (5–95)		25	2.5 (0.3–15.1)

ISSN: 1465-542X