title: Ki-67 immunostaining in human breast tumors and its relationship to prognosis.
abstract: Ki-67 labeling was quantified in 37 nonmalignant breast tissues and in 63 breast carcinomas by counting ten random high-power fields each in three section planes (RC) or by evaluation of the area with the highest labeling density (HDC). Both procedures proved to be highly correlated (rs = 0.94). Ki-67-positive fractions of the nonmalignant tissues (mean, 2.1% for RC and 4.1% for HDC) were significantly lower as compared with the carcinomas (mean, 14.5% for RC and 17.5% for HDC). In carcinomas the Ki-67 labeling was significantly associated with pT stage, axillary lymph node status, and tumor grading and inversely related to progesterone receptor status. Using the medians of both counting methods (12% for RC and 17% for HDC) as cutoff points, significantly different curves for overall and disease-free survival (median follow-up, 37 months) were obtained. However, Cox multivariate analysis failed to demonstrate an independent effect of Ki-67 labeling. In contrast, Ki-67 reactivity seems to be of independent prognostic value if a higher cutoff level was selected.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunobiology, University of Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Wintzer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zipfel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulte-Mönting
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hellerich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Kleist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen