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BACKGROUND:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by cytoreduction surgery has been used where an accurate cytologic or pathologic diagnosis is usually required before the initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, it is difficult to make definitive diagnosis of presence of cancer cells, particularly gynecologic versus non-gynecologic origin, from those ascites specimens due to the absence of specific biomarkers of gynecologic cancers. In the present study, we evaluated if, in addition to the routine morphologic diagnosis, the biomarker PAX8 could be useful in recognition of ovarian epithelial cancer cells prior to the neoadjuvant chemotherapy.METHODS:Two hundred and two cytology specimens including 120 pretreatment ovarian cancer samples, 60 benign controls, and 22 malignant non-gynecologic cases were studied. All cytology slides were morphologically reviewed in a blinded fashion without knowing corresponding pathology diagnosis, if present. A total of 168 cytology specimens with a cell block were stained with PAX8 and Calretinin. These included patients with potential for ovarian cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n=96), metastatic cancers (n=22), and benign controls (n=50).RESULTS:Among the 96 ascitic samples prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 76 (79%) showing morphologic features consistent with cancers of ovarian primary were all PAX+/Calretinin-. The remaining 20 (21%) cases were positive for adenocarcinoma, but morphologically unable to be further classified. Among the 22 metastatic cancers into the pelvis, one case with PAX8+/Calretinin- represented a renal cell carcinoma and the remaining 21 PAX8-/Calretinin- metastatic cancers were either breast metastasis (n=4) and the metastasis from gastrointestinal tract (n=17). Among the 50 benign control pelvic washing cases, 5 PAX8+/Calretinin-cases represented endosalpingiosis (n=4) and endometriosis (n=1), 25 PAX8-/Calretinin+cases showed reactive mesothelial cells, and the remaining 20 specimens with PAX8-/Calretinin- phenotype typically contained inflammatory or blood cells without noticeable diagnostic epithelia.CONCLUSIONS:PAX8 identifies all Mullerian derived benign or malignant epithelia. When combining with Calretinin, PAX8 is a sensitive marker to diagnose the carcinomas of ovarian origin, which will be ideal to be used for those patients with a possible advanced ovarian cancer prior to receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

O câncer de mama é o segundo tipo de câncer mais freqüente no mundo e o mais comum entre as mulheres. A quimioterapia neoadjuvante tem sido introduzida para diminuir o tamanho do tumor, permitindo a conservação da mama e ganhando controle sobre possíveis metástases. Polimorfismos em genes envolvidos no reparo do DNA, controle do ciclo celular, apoptose e enzimas do metabolismo e eliminação de drogas, poderiam determinar a susceptibilidade individual ao câncer e a resposta ao tratamento. A proteína p53 é um fator de transcrição envolvido, entre outras funções, no processo de apoptose. Por outro lado, a glicoproteína P é uma proteína de transmembrana responsável pelo efluxo de drogas nas células. Polimorfismos do gene TP53, Arg72Pro e Pro47Ser, tem sido observado alterando o potencial de indução de apoptose; quanto ao polimorfismo C3435T do gene MDR-1, tem demonstrado sua influência sobre a atividade ou expressão da glicoproteína P. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo investigar se os polimorfismos os genes TP53 e MDR-1 na susceptibilidade de câncer de mama e na resposta a quimioterapia neoadjuvante. Para isso, 116 pacientes com câncer de mama e 120 indivíduos controles foram genotipados pela da técnica de PCRRFLP. Analisando os genes TP53 e MDR-1, as freqüências alélicas e genotípicas encontradas foram similares em pacientes e controles para os polimorfismos Arg72Pro e C3435T; no entanto, para o polimorfismo Pro47Ser só foram observados indivíduos apresentando o genótipo selvagem. Os genótipos homozigotos polimórficos para os genes TP53 e MDR-1 foram mais freqüentes nos controles não brancos e com idade maior que 50 anos, respectivamente, sugerindo uma associação dos respectivos genótipos com etnia e idade. Não foi encontrada associação com as demais variáveis em relação ao risco de câncer de mama. Também não foram observadas associações entre as características pré-tratamento das pacientes em relação à distribuição dos genótipos. Quanto à resposta à quimioterapia, não houve associação significativa quando as respostas clínicas e patológicas foram avaliadas. Porém, na distribuição do número de linfonodos, encontraram-se freqüências aumentadas nos genótipo Pro/Pro do gene TP53 para 1-3 linfonodos metastáticos e no genótipo TT do gene MDR-1 para 4 linfonodos axilares metastáticos. Com base nesses dados, não foi possível estabelecer associações entre os polimorfismos e a susceptibilidade ao desenvolvimento de câncer de mama, como também não foi possível determinar sua relação com a resposta à quimioterapia neoadjuvante na nossa amostra. No entanto, mais estudos devem ser feitos para determinar a contribuição destes polimorfismos no câncer de mama e seu tratamento, e assim estabelecer estratégias de quimioterapia mais eficazes. / Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and the most common among women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been introduced to downstage tumors, facilitating breast conservation and gaining control of probably metastasis. Polymorphisms in genes involving DNA repair, cell cycle control, apoptosis and drugs metabolizing enzymes could determine the individual susceptibility to cancer and response to treatment. The p53 protein is a transcription factor and among other functions, is involved in apoptosis. Moreover, the P-glycoprotein is a transmembrane protein responsible for drug efflux from the cells. Polymorphisms of the gene TP53, Arg72Pro and Pro47Ser, have been observed an altered apoptosis-inducing potential; whereas, the polymorphism of the gene MDR-1, C3435T, has demonstrated influence on the Pglycoprotein activity or expression levels. In this study, our purpose was to investigate whether TP53 and MDR-1 polymorphism would be involved with breast cancer risk and the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed 116 patients with breast cancer and 120 health controls by PCR-RFLP technique. The genotypic and allelic frequencies for Arg72Pro and C3435T polymorphisms in patients and controls were similar. For the Pro47Ser polymorphism, only individuals with the wild-type genotype were observed. The polymorphic homozygous genotypes of the TP53 and MDR-1 genes were more frequent in controls for the non whitegroup and for the >50 years group, respectively, suggesting an association with genotypes and their ethnicity and age. There was no association with the other variables analyzed for breast cancer risk. The distribution of pretreatment patient characteristics was not significantly different among the polymorphic variants. Furthermore, no association was observed when the clinical and pathological responses were evaluated. However, patients with the Pro/Pro variant (TP53 gene) and patients with the TT (MDR-1 gene) were more likely to have 1-3 and 4 metastatic axillary lymph nodes, respectively. Based on these data, it was not possible to determine associations between polymorphisms and susceptibility to breast cancer neither to the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our sample. However, further studies should be done to determine the contribution of these polymorphisms in the breast cancer risk and its treatment, and thus, establish strategies for more effective therapies.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become standard practice in patients with high-risk early breast cancer as it improves rates of breast conservation surgery and enables prediction of recurrence and survival by using response to treatment as a surrogate. Previous studies have focused on generating molecular datasets to develop prediction models of response, though little is known on how tumours and their microenvironments are modulated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The thesis aims at molecularly characterising tumour changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a cohort of 168 patients. Serial tumour samples at diagnosis, and, when available, midway through chemotherapy and on completion of treatment were profiled by shallow whole genome sequencing, deep exome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing, resulting in the generation of an unprecedented genomics dataset with tumours in situ while patients received chemotherapy. Molecular predictors of response to chemotherapy were inferred from the diagnostic biopsy. Several novel observations were made, including previously undescribed associations between copy number alterations, mutational genotypes, neoantigen load, HLA genotypes and intra-tumoural heterogeneity with chemosensitivity. Possible mechanisms of chemoresistance included LOH at the MHC Class I locus, decreased expression of MHC Class I and II genes and drug influx molecules, as well as increased expression of drug efflux pumps. A complex relationship between proliferation, tumour microenvironment composition (TME) and response to treatment was explored by deconvoluting bulk RNAseq data and performing digital pathology orthogonal validation. Clonal and microenvironment dynamic changes induced by/associated with chemotherapy were then modelled. Two types of genomic responses were identified, one in which the clonal composition was stable throughout treatment and another where clonal emergence and/or extinction was evident. Validation by multi-region deep sequencing confirmed the dynamics of the clonal landscape. Clonal emergence was shown to be associated with higher proliferation and decreased immune infiltrate, with an increase in genomic instability and homologous recombination deficiency during treatment. The immune TME composition and activity mirrored response to treatment, with cytolytic activity and innate and adaptive immune infiltrates linearly correlating with the degree of residual disease remaining after chemotherapy. Finally, the circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) genomic landscape was explored by using shallow whole genome sequencing and targeted sequencing of plasma DNA. Tumour mutations detected on exome sequencing were also detected in ctDNA in plasma, supporting the use of liquid biopsies as a biomarker for monitoring response to therapy and detection of minimal residual disease.

Introduction: The incidence of gastro-oesophageal cancers has increased considerably over the last decade. As the disease is associated with a poor prognosis, there is a need to identify markers of treatment response which could be used in the future to improve the management of gastro-oesophageal tumours. Aims: 1) To compare the ability of published histological grading criteria (Becker, Mandard and Ninomiya) to assess response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in gastro-oesophageal cancers. 2) To evaluate the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) in pre-treatment diagnostic biopsy samples as a predictive marker of response to NCT. 3) To investigate whether measurements of hypoxia obtained using pimonidazole are prognostic for treatment outcome in patients with gastro oesophageal adenocarcinoma (ACC). 4) To study the prognostic significance and clinicopathological associations of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) related proteins S100A4, Vimentin and Snail1 in gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) tumours. 5) To evaluate the ability of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI to assess chemoradiotherapy (CRT) induced changes in oesophageal cancer. Methods: 1) Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tumour blocks and haematoxylin and eosin stained slides of samples from resected tumours (n=66) were obtained from patients who received NCT for gastric and GOJ tumours. The slides were scored independently by two observers and kappa scores calculated. 2) Pre-treatment diagnostic tissue biopsy samples were obtained from 45 patients with gastric and GOJ cancer who received NCT. TS expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and scored by two observers. The clinical and pathological data were analysed. 3) 57 patients were prospectively administered intravenous pimonidazole and the tumour specimens were collected both at staging laparoscopy and resection. IHC was performed to assess pimonidazole expression and determine its association with clinico-pathological factors. 4) Tissue microarrays were prepared from resection specimens from GOJ ACC. IHC was performed to investigate EMT related protein expression. 5) DCE-MRI was performed on five patients diagnosed with oesophageal cancer treated with CRT. Multiple pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated. Findings: 1) Becker's histological grading criteria was the most reproducible and prognostic of outcome. The incidence of complete histological response (5%) was low in patients receiving NCT. 2) No prognostic benefit of TS expression was identified. 3) Results from only 34 patients were available for analysis. 77% pimonidazole positivity was observed. Preoperative anaemia was associated with significant tumour pimonidazole expression (p=0.04). Pimonidazole was not prognostic for outcome. 4) The overall positive expression was S100A4 (85%), Vimentin (14%) and Snail1 (89%). The increased expression of S100A4 at the tumour body (p=0.02) and luminal surface (p=0.01) was associated with a poor outcome. 5) Significant changes were measured in DCE-MRI pharmacokinetic parameters after CRT. Conclusion: 1) Becker's histological response grading criteria should be further studied in routine clinical practice for response assessment to NCT. 2) TS should be explored further as a marker of NCT response in gastro-oesophageal cancer. 3) Hypoxia is a characteristic feature of upper gastrointestinal ACC and is associated with anaemia. 4) S100A4 is the most useful marker of EMT in GOJ adenocarcinoma. 5) DCE-MRI tracer kinetic parameters should be explored in a larger study to assess their ability to monitor the efficacy of and predict response to neo-adjuvant treatment.

O câncer de mama é o segundo tipo de câncer mais freqüente no mundo e o mais comum entre as mulheres. A quimioterapia neoadjuvante tem sido introduzida para diminuir o tamanho do tumor, permitindo a conservação da mama e ganhando controle sobre possíveis metástases. Polimorfismos em genes envolvidos no reparo do DNA, controle do ciclo celular, apoptose e enzimas do metabolismo e eliminação de drogas, poderiam determinar a susceptibilidade individual ao câncer e a resposta ao tratamento. A proteína p53 é um fator de transcrição envolvido, entre outras funções, no processo de apoptose. Por outro lado, a glicoproteína P é uma proteína de transmembrana responsável pelo efluxo de drogas nas células. Polimorfismos do gene TP53, Arg72Pro e Pro47Ser, tem sido observado alterando o potencial de indução de apoptose; quanto ao polimorfismo C3435T do gene MDR-1, tem demonstrado sua influência sobre a atividade ou expressão da glicoproteína P. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo investigar se os polimorfismos os genes TP53 e MDR-1 na susceptibilidade de câncer de mama e na resposta a quimioterapia neoadjuvante. Para isso, 116 pacientes com câncer de mama e 120 indivíduos controles foram genotipados pela da técnica de PCRRFLP. Analisando os genes TP53 e MDR-1, as freqüências alélicas e genotípicas encontradas foram similares em pacientes e controles para os polimorfismos Arg72Pro e C3435T; no entanto, para o polimorfismo Pro47Ser só foram observados indivíduos apresentando o genótipo selvagem. Os genótipos homozigotos polimórficos para os genes TP53 e MDR-1 foram mais freqüentes nos controles não brancos e com idade maior que 50 anos, respectivamente, sugerindo uma associação dos respectivos genótipos com etnia e idade. Não foi encontrada associação com as demais variáveis em relação ao risco de câncer de mama. Também não foram observadas associações entre as características pré-tratamento das pacientes em relação à distribuição dos genótipos. Quanto à resposta à quimioterapia, não houve associação significativa quando as respostas clínicas e patológicas foram avaliadas. Porém, na distribuição do número de linfonodos, encontraram-se freqüências aumentadas nos genótipo Pro/Pro do gene TP53 para 1-3 linfonodos metastáticos e no genótipo TT do gene MDR-1 para 4 linfonodos axilares metastáticos. Com base nesses dados, não foi possível estabelecer associações entre os polimorfismos e a susceptibilidade ao desenvolvimento de câncer de mama, como também não foi possível determinar sua relação com a resposta à quimioterapia neoadjuvante na nossa amostra. No entanto, mais estudos devem ser feitos para determinar a contribuição destes polimorfismos no câncer de mama e seu tratamento, e assim estabelecer estratégias de quimioterapia mais eficazes. / Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and the most common among women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been introduced to downstage tumors, facilitating breast conservation and gaining control of probably metastasis. Polymorphisms in genes involving DNA repair, cell cycle control, apoptosis and drugs metabolizing enzymes could determine the individual susceptibility to cancer and response to treatment. The p53 protein is a transcription factor and among other functions, is involved in apoptosis. Moreover, the P-glycoprotein is a transmembrane protein responsible for drug efflux from the cells. Polymorphisms of the gene TP53, Arg72Pro and Pro47Ser, have been observed an altered apoptosis-inducing potential; whereas, the polymorphism of the gene MDR-1, C3435T, has demonstrated influence on the Pglycoprotein activity or expression levels. In this study, our purpose was to investigate whether TP53 and MDR-1 polymorphism would be involved with breast cancer risk and the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed 116 patients with breast cancer and 120 health controls by PCR-RFLP technique. The genotypic and allelic frequencies for Arg72Pro and C3435T polymorphisms in patients and controls were similar. For the Pro47Ser polymorphism, only individuals with the wild-type genotype were observed. The polymorphic homozygous genotypes of the TP53 and MDR-1 genes were more frequent in controls for the non whitegroup and for the >50 years group, respectively, suggesting an association with genotypes and their ethnicity and age. There was no association with the other variables analyzed for breast cancer risk. The distribution of pretreatment patient characteristics was not significantly different among the polymorphic variants. Furthermore, no association was observed when the clinical and pathological responses were evaluated. However, patients with the Pro/Pro variant (TP53 gene) and patients with the TT (MDR-1 gene) were more likely to have 1-3 and 4 metastatic axillary lymph nodes, respectively. Based on these data, it was not possible to determine associations between polymorphisms and susceptibility to breast cancer neither to the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our sample. However, further studies should be done to determine the contribution of these polymorphisms in the breast cancer risk and its treatment, and thus, establish strategies for more effective therapies.

Objetivos: A avaliação da angiogênese no câncerde mama é um importante fator prognóstico e preditivo. A expressão do fator de crescimento vascular endotelial (VEGF) tem sido relatada como metodologia adequada posto sua relação com a densidade microvascular tumoral (MVD), a dosagem de VEGF plasmático assim como com a expressão de outros genes relacionados a angiogênese. Pacientes e Métodos: este estudo avaliou 30 pacientes com diagnóstico de carcinoma de mama localmente avançado tratadas inicialmente pela quimioterapia neoadjuvante e foi correlacionada a expressão da proteína VEGF e outros caracteres clínico-patológicos destas pacientes. Resultados: A expressão da proteína VEGF foi significamente correlacionada com a resposta patológica completa (p= 0,04). Não houve correlação entre expressão de VEGF e tamanho tumoral (p= 0,76), envolvimento axilar (p= 0,70), RP (p= 0,92), RE (p= 0,98), superexpressão de HER-2 (p= 0,79), grau tumoral (p= 0,68) ou menopausa (p= 0,07). Conclusões: A expressão de VEGF foi consistentemente associada a resposta patológica completa e pode ser utilizada como fator preditivo para selecionar pacientes com CMLA para tratamento primário pela quimioterapia. / Purpose: The assessment of angiogenesis in breast canceris a import predictive and prognostic factor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression has been reported as reliable methodology to evaluate the relationship between microvascular density (MVD). VEGF plasma level and the expression of other angiogenesis related genes. Patients and Methods: This study examined 30 locally advanced breast cancer patients submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed the correlation between VEGF protein expression and clinicopathologicalcharacteristics. Results: VEGF expression was significantly correlated to complete pathological response (p= 0,04). There were no correlation between a VEGF expression and tumor size (p= 0,76), axillary involvement (p= 0,70), PR (p= 0,92), ER (p=0,96), HER-2 overexpression (p= 0,79), tumor grade (p=0,68) or menopausal status (p= 0,07). Conclusion: VEGF expression was consistently associated to complete pathological response and may be used as predictive factor to select patients to primary chemotherapy in LABC patients.

Introdução: O carcinoma de mama é uma doença altamente prevalente e incidente. Em nosso meio, ainda cerca de metade dos casos são diagnosticados em estadios localmente avançados e/ou disseminados. Nesta situação, a quimioterapia neoadjuvante é o tratamento padrão.. Infelizmente, o padrão de resposta ao tratamento sistêmico é variável e existe um parcela de pacientes que não apresentam redução tumoral significativa e outros que apresentam progressão da doença. A identificação prévia do grupo de pacientes que mais se beneficiariam da quimioterapia neoadjuvante poderia evitar os efeitos adversos dos quimioterápicos no grupo de pacientes com baixa probabilidade de resposta bem como otimizar custos de tratamento. A ressonância magnética (RM) devido a sua análise tridimensional das imagens, alta sensibilidade e resolução espacial vem sendo empregada na monitorização do tratamento do câncer de mama, utilizando-se, principalmente, técnicas funcionais, como a avaliação farmacocinética após injeção do meio contraste paramagnético e as imagens ponderadas em difusão (DWI). A difusão pode ser utilizada para calcular o valor do coeficiente aparente de difusão (ADC). Recentemente, o ADC vem sendo utilizado como ferramenta diagnóstica e prognóstica no câncer de mama.. Alguns estudos mostraram que pacientes respondedoras à quimioterapia neoadjuvante apresentaram um aumento dos valores médios do ADC tumoral logo após o segundo ciclo do tratamento. Porém, poucos estudos, e com alguns resultados discordantes, avaliaram a capacidade do ADC em discriminar, previamente ao tratamento quimioterápico, aqueles tumores que terão melhor resposta patológica. Objetivos: comparar os diversos parâmetros derivados do ADC de neoplasias mamárias para avaliar possíveis preditores de resposta patológia à quimioterapia neoadjuvante. Materiais e métodos: Estudo retrospectivo envolvendo 57 pacientes com carcinoma de mama localmente avançado que realizaram RM previamente à quimioterapia neoadjuvante. Múltiplos métodos de medida do ADC foram realizados, sendo estudadas as validades das medidas calculando-se a área sobre a curva ROC e estabelecendo-se os valores de sensibilidade e especificidade. Os dados das diferentes mensurações foram analisados através do teste ANOVA. Para avaliação da variabilidade inter-observador foi utilizado o teste de Kappa. Resultados: As diferentes mensurações dos valores de ADC dos tumores não evidenciou diferença estatística significativa entre o grupo respondedor e não respondedor. Nenhum dos parâmetros analisados pode ser considerado como preditor de resposta. Não houve diferença significativa na obtenção dos diferentes parâmetros derivados do ADC entre a medida de um único corte na região central da lesão, quando comparada com a medida de toda a lesão (volumetria). Conclusão: Os diferentes parâmetros derivados da medida do ADC, pré-quimioterapia neoadjuvante não predizem resposta ao tratamento em pacientes com tumores de mama localmente avançados / Introduction : Breast cancer is a highly prevalent and incident disease. In Brazil , although about half of cases are diagnosed in locally advanced or disseminated stages . In this situation, the neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a standard treatment. Unfortunately, the pattern of response to systemic treatment is variable and there is a proportion of patients with no significant tumor reduction and others that have disease progression. Prior identification of the group of patients who would most benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy could avoid the adverse effects of chemotherapy in patients with low probability of response and optimize treatment costs. Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) due to its three-dimensional image analysis, high sensitivity and spatial resolution has been used for monitoring the treatment of breast cancer, using mainly functional techniques such as pharmacokinetic evaluation after injection of paramagnetic contrast medium and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) . It can be used to calculate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Recently, the ADC has been used as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in breast cancer. Some studies have shown that patients who respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed an increase of the mean ADC tumor values after the second cycle of treatment. However, few studies and with some discordant results, reviewed the ADC \'s ability to discriminate, prior to chemotherapy, those tumors that have better pathological response. Objectives: To compare the various parameters derived ADC of breast tumors to evaluate possible predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy pathology. Methods : a retrospective study of 56 patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma who underwent MRI prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Multiple ADC measurement methods were performed and the validity of the measures was studied by calculating the area under the ROC curve and setting up the sensitivity and specificity values. The data of different measurements were analyzed using ANOVA test. To evaluate the interobserver variability was used Kappa test. Results: The different measurements of ADC values of tumors showed no statistically significant difference between the responder group and the group with no response. None of the analyzed parameters can be suggested as predictor of response. There was no significant difference in obtaining the various parameters derived from the ADC either measuring a single slice, at the central region of the lesion or measuring the whole lesion (volumetry). Conclusion: The different parameters derived from the measurement of the ADC prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy do not predict response to therapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancers..

Objetivos: A avaliação da angiogênese no câncerde mama é um importante fator prognóstico e preditivo. A expressão do fator de crescimento vascular endotelial (VEGF) tem sido relatada como metodologia adequada posto sua relação com a densidade microvascular tumoral (MVD), a dosagem de VEGF plasmático assim como com a expressão de outros genes relacionados a angiogênese. Pacientes e Métodos: este estudo avaliou 30 pacientes com diagnóstico de carcinoma de mama localmente avançado tratadas inicialmente pela quimioterapia neoadjuvante e foi correlacionada a expressão da proteína VEGF e outros caracteres clínico-patológicos destas pacientes. Resultados: A expressão da proteína VEGF foi significamente correlacionada com a resposta patológica completa (p= 0,04). Não houve correlação entre expressão de VEGF e tamanho tumoral (p= 0,76), envolvimento axilar (p= 0,70), RP (p= 0,92), RE (p= 0,98), superexpressão de HER-2 (p= 0,79), grau tumoral (p= 0,68) ou menopausa (p= 0,07). Conclusões: A expressão de VEGF foi consistentemente associada a resposta patológica completa e pode ser utilizada como fator preditivo para selecionar pacientes com CMLA para tratamento primário pela quimioterapia. / Purpose: The assessment of angiogenesis in breast canceris a import predictive and prognostic factor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression has been reported as reliable methodology to evaluate the relationship between microvascular density (MVD). VEGF plasma level and the expression of other angiogenesis related genes. Patients and Methods: This study examined 30 locally advanced breast cancer patients submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed the correlation between VEGF protein expression and clinicopathologicalcharacteristics. Results: VEGF expression was significantly correlated to complete pathological response (p= 0,04). There were no correlation between a VEGF expression and tumor size (p= 0,76), axillary involvement (p= 0,70), PR (p= 0,92), ER (p=0,96), HER-2 overexpression (p= 0,79), tumor grade (p=0,68) or menopausal status (p= 0,07). Conclusion: VEGF expression was consistently associated to complete pathological response and may be used as predictive factor to select patients to primary chemotherapy in LABC patients.