Figure 1 | Modern Pathology

Figure 1

From: The extent of retraction clefts correlates with lymphatic vessel density and VEGF-C expression and predicts nodal metastasis and poor prognosis in early-stage breast carcinoma

Figure 1Figure 1

(a) Invasive ductal carcinoma showing prominent retraction clefts. The nests and cords of tumor cells are separated from the surrounding stroma by a clear space without an endothelial lining. (b) Immunohistochemical stain for podoplanin confirms the absence of an endothelial lining associated with the retraction clefts. (c, d) Intratumor lymphatic vessels (c) are characteristically small and flattened with a close lumen in contrast with the typically widely open, dilated lymphatics in peritumor regions (d) (immunohistochemical stains for podoplanin with hematoxylin counterstain). (e, f) Immunohistochemical stain for podoplanin highlights the presence of lymphatic invasion by tumor cells at the periphery of breast carcinomas (e) and occasionally within the tumor mass as well (f). (g) Immunohistochemical stain for podoplanin shows diffuse strong reactivity within the stroma of invasive breast carcinoma. (h) Invasive breast carcinoma showing strong vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) expression. Note the increased VEGF-C immunoreactivity in the tumor cells compared to the benign duct in the middle.

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