The Presence of Cyclooxygenase 2, Tumor-Associated Macrophages, and Collagen Alignment as Prognostic Markers for Invasive Breast Carcinoma Patients

Inflammation, and the organization of collagen in the breast tumor microenvironment, is an important mediator of breast tumor progression. However, a direct link between markers of inflammation, collagen organization, and patient outcome has yet to be established. A tumor microarray of 371 invasive breast carcinoma biopsy specimens was analyzed for expression of inflammatory markers, including cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), macrophages, and several...