Correlation of proliferative index (PCNA reactivity and Ki-67 reactivity) in primary breast carcinoma with hormone status, lymph node status, and disease-free survival.
The proliferative activity in 42 cases of breast cancer were assessed immunohistochemically using antibodies to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67. These indices were correlated with the steroid receptor status, pathologic stage, and disease-free survival. There was a strong direct correlation between the two proliferation indices (r = .902, P < 0.001, Kendall's rank correlation). There was a weak correlation between the hormone receptor status and proliferation indices that was not significant when statistically tested. The cases were stratified into PCNA low proliferative index (PI) group (< 4.5% positive cells) and PCNA high PI group (> 4.5% positive cells). In the low PI group, five of 18 (28%) patients were node-positive in contrast to eight of 14 (58%) patients in the high PI group. After a follow-up period of 42-60 months, 14 of 19 (74%) patients in the low PI group were disease-free compared to 10 of 17 (53%) patients in the high PI group. The PCNA and Ki-67 proliferative indices appear to be of great prognostic value and may help identify a subset of breast cancer patients who should be given adjuvant therapy.
Department of Pathology, St. Joseph Medical Center, Stamford, CT 06904.
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Magno
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Hirschfield
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Bhuiya
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Harrison
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Mir
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen