Changes in the metabolism of axillary lymph node cells as a predictor of regional metastasis in breast cancer

Table 4 Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression scores according to the nature of the changes in axillary lymph nodes

Normal LN	Reactive LN	Metastases	P value
			Normal LN and reactive LN	Normal LN and metastases	Reactive LN and metastases
VCAM-1 expression in the LN sinuses
0.758 ± 1.05	1.600 ± 1.43	1.125 ± 1.05	0.0989	0.1467	0.310
VCAM-1 expression in the LN follicles
0.694 ± 0.84	3.000 ± 1.33	1.625 ± 1.928	< 0.0001a	0.2063	0.0604
VCAM-1 expression in the LN cortex (B zone)
0.758 ± 0.84	1.200 ± 1.03	0.500 ± 0.73	0.2226	0.2827	0.1214
VCAM-1 expression in the LN medulla (T zone)
1.000 ± 0.77	1.600 ± 0.52	1.375 ± 0.50	0.0307	0.0783	0.3630

^aP value < 0.0250 is considered significant.

LN: Lymph node; VCAM: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1.