title: Prognostic value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in lymph node-negative breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prognostic value of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) has been demonstrated in recent studies of human tumors including breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCNA immunoreactivity was assessed retrospectively in a consecutive series of 173 lymph node-negative primary breast cancer cases. The PCNA grade was determined according to estimated quartiles of nuclear immunostaining, and its association to disease-free and overall survival was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCNA grade was associated significantly with nuclear grade. On univariate analysis, PCNA grade was associated significantly with both 5-year relapse-free survival rate (Grades 1-2 = 78%; Grades 3-4 = 52%; P = 0.0117) and overall survival. On multivariate analysis, T category and PCNA were associated independently and significantly with both relapse-free and overall survival. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the association of PCNA grade to prognosis was low (relative risk of recurrence in patients with PCNA Grades 3-4 versus Grades 1-2 = 2.13), and only 24% of all relapses or 28.8% of all cancer deaths observed at 5 years occurred in patients with PCNA Grades 3-4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The predictive value of the relationship of PCNA grade to prognosis was too low to be of value as an independent prognostic indicator.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomia e Isologia Patologica, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paglierani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zampi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cataliotti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zappa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciatto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen