title: Tumor cell growth fractions in human malignant melanomas and the correlation to histopathologic tumor grading.
abstract: The growth fraction (GF) of 72 human malignant melanomas was determined by immunostaining with monoclonal antibody Ki-67. A positive correlation of GF and histopathologically-assessed prognostic variables, such as tumor thickness, mitotic rate, and prognostic index, was found. Individual Ki-67 values were considerably scattered in all histologically defined groups of malignancy. Thus, GF as determined by Ki-67 was used to calculate a modified prognostic index. In contrast to the histologically defined prognostic index, the Ki-67 based prognostic index allows further subdivision of thin malignant melanomas with no or few mitotic figures. This may be of help in identifying tumors with a high recurrence potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Munich, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaudewitz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Braun-Falco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landthaler
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stolz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerdes
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008545:Melanoma / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology*; D008938:Mitosis; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006133:Growth Substances