Nucleolar organizer regions: a prognostic factor in infiltrating ductal carcinoma in the breast.
By means of an AgNOR technique, the authors have carried out a retrospective study on proliferative activity in 170 cases of infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma (so-called carcinoma NOS). The follow-up period was 138 months. A statistically significant correlation was found between AgNOR score and outcome of the disease ("vital status"), clinical stage and OS respectively. By means of discriminant analysis a threshold value of AgNOR score was identified (= 9.5) which distinguished two risk groups among the cases under examination. Those cases with an average AgNOR score below the threshold value showed a favourable prognosis. The cases with an AgNOR score greater than 9.5 had an unfavourable outcome. The authors suggest that AgNOR score may be used as a prognostic parameter in breast carcinoma.
Servizio di Anatomia Patologica, Ospedali Galliera di Genova.
M
M
Canepa
C
C
Gambini
L
L
Borgiani
A
A
Pastorino
G
G
Buccaran
L
L
Gallo
A
A
Storace
S
S
Rovida
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016622:Silver Staining; D015996:Survival Rate