Angiogenesis is known to represent a fundamental step in tumour progression (Hanahan and Folkman, 1996) and clinical evidence has shown that node-negative (N−) as well as node-positive (N+) breast cancer patients with high intratumoral VEGF concentrations have a significantly shorter relapse-free survival (RFS) (Gasparini et al, 1997, 1999; Linderholm et al, 2000). This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and breast carcinoma.