title: Prognostic implications of the proliferative potential of low-grade astrocytomas.
abstract: The proliferative potential of low-grade astrocytomas was estimated in 47 patients. Each patient received an intravenous infusion of bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR), 150 to 200 mg/sq m, at the time of craniotomy to label cells in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis; the percentage of S-phase cells, or BUdR labeling index (LI), of each tumor was determined immunohistochemically. In 29 patients (60%), the tumors had BUdR LI's of less than 1%, indicating a slow growth rate; only three (10%) of these patients died of recurrent tumor during a follow-up period of up to 3 1/2 years. In contrast, of the 18 patients (40%) whose tumors had BUdR LI's of 1% or more, 12 (67%) had a recurrence and nine died during the same follow-up period. These results show that the proliferative potential, as reflected by the BUdR LI, is an important prognostic factor that separates low-grade astrocytomas into two groups and provides a more scientific rationale for selecting treatment for individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Brain Tumor Research Center, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002455:Cell Division; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine