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

Figure 3 Examples of Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 expression assessment in an axillary lymph node. A: Assessment of the number of sinuses (2: > 15%) and lymphoid follicles (1: ≥ 5% and < 30% of the lymph node area) in the axillary lymph node; B: Assessment of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in the lymph node sinuses (0: No expression), lymph node follicles (0: No expression), lymph node cortex (0: No expression) and lymph node medulla (0: No expression); C: Assessment of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) expression in the lymph node sinuses (1: Weak expression), lymph node follicles (2: Moderate expression), lymph node cortex (1: Weak expression), and lymph node medulla (1: Weak expression); D: Breast cancer metastasis in the axillary lymph node (arrow); E: No VCAM-1 expression in tumor cells in the lymph node with metastasis; F: Weak CXCR4 expression in tumor cells in the lymph node with metastasis (A and D: Mayer’s hematoxylin and eosin staining; B and E: Staining with antibodies against VCAM-1; C and F: Staining with antibodies against CXCR4).